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(1) Russian (Latvia) tenor Evgeni Vitting. Sang at the
Narodny Dom (St. Petersburg); concerts in Kharkov, and the Marinsky. He also
toured Western Europe. His voice was large and beautiful. He sang Vladimir (Prince
Igor), the Indian Guest (Sadko), Likov (Tsar's Bride),
Tannhäuser, and Raoul. He studied in Italy with Del Fiume, bringing the best
of his Italian schooling to the Russian theatre. However, he was not know for
his characterizations.
(2) French
soprano Geneviève Vix
(1879-1939) as Antonia in Les contes d'Hoffmann. She was Antonia in the
first complete performances of this work. Vix made her debut (1906) at the
Opéra-Comique in the title role of Louise. That same year she
introduced Circé in Hillemacher's opera of the same name. She was Concepcion
in the world premiere of L'heure espagnole. Vix had an international
career, performing successfully in Buenos Aires, Madrid, New York, Chicago,
Boston, Rome, and other cities. In the middle 1920s, despite problems with her
voice, she created Catharina in La Mégère approvoisée for the Paris
Opéra (1925) and La Tisbé in Angelo for the Opéra-Comique (1928).
(3) Vlasov as Mephistopheles. Moscow.
(4) German tenor Fritz
Vogelstrom (1882-1963) as Parsifal in 1909. He made his debut (1903) in
Mannheim as Tamino (Die Zauberflöte) where he remained until 1912. From
1912 through 1929 (the year he retired) he was a member of the Dresden Hofoper.
He sang Parsifal, Lohengrin, and Frohe (Das Rheingold) at the 1909
Bayreuth Festival. He was especially admired by Cosima Wagner.
(5) Tenor Alfred von Bary
(1873-1926) as Lohengrin. He was engaged for Bayreuth in 1904 and returned
every summer through 1914. Albert von Puttkamer, who wrote 50 Jahre
Bayreuth, an important book on Bayreuth (published in 1927), believed that
von Bary was the greatest Lohengrin of his time. His rare recordings reveal a
strong and pleasant voice.
(6) Austrian contralto Irene
von Chavanne (1868-1938) as Carmen. She began her studies in Vienna with
Johannes Ress. Later in Paris she studied with Désirée Artôt de Padilla, and
then in Dresden with Souvestre. She made her debut (1885) at the Dresden Royal
Opera and remained there during her entire career. She created the role of
Herodias in the world premiere of Strauss's Salome (9 Dec 1905).
(7) Russian gypsy singer (mezzo-soprano) Anastasia
Dimitriyevna Vyaltseva (1871-1913). She was quite famous throughout Russia
mostly as an operetta diva with the Setov and Blumenthal-Tamarin Operetta
Company in Kiev. Critics compared her voice to Lina Cavalieri's (which isn't
saying much), but she lacked Cavalieri's drive to improve and achieve. The two
were singing in Russia about the same time and Cavalieri was a considered a
more favorable performer.
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