Historic Opera

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Row 1:
(1) Georges Baklanov.
(2) Georges Baklanov.
(3) Rudolf Bandler.
(4) Alexander von Bandrowski.

Row 2:
(1) Maria Barrientos.
(2) Georgette Bastien.
(3) Mattia Battistini.
(4) Mattia Battistini.


Row 3:
(1) Mattia Battistini.
(2) Alfred Bauberger.
(3) Lola Beeth.
(4) Bianca Bellincioni.

Row 4:
(1) Gemma Bellincioni.
(2) Paul Bender.
(3) Rudolf Berger.
(4) Rudolf Berger.

Row 5:
(1) Lucy-Bertrand Berthet.
(2) Theodor Bertram.
(3) Theodor Bertram.
(4) Elise Beuer.


Row 6:
(1) Leon Beyle.
(2) Johannes Bischoff.
(3) Raymond Blancard.
(4) Mikhail Vasilievich Bocharov.

Theodor Bertram: Berlin -- Nov 24 -- Theodor Bertram, the celebrated opera singer, committed suicide to-day at Baireuth. He had been melancholy and despondent since the death of his wife, who was drowned Feb. 21 last in the wreck of the steamship Berlin off the Hook of Holland. Theodor Bertram's most successful roles were Wagnerian, and he made his greatest reputation as Wotan. The steamer Berlin was wrecked while entering port after a hurricane and nearly everybody aboard was lost, among the number being nineteen members of the German Opera Company, which had just concluded its season at Covent Garden. One of the opera singers lost was Mrs. Bertram. Mr. Bertram, a member of the company, had sailed from London for Rotterdam a day previous to the departure of his wife. New York Times, 25 Nov 1907.

Alexander von Bandrowski: Mr. Von Bandrowski, the Polish tenor, who was especially engaged for the title role, made his first appearance before an American audience at the initial representation of [Manru] .... In addition to singing the leading part Mr. Von Bandrowski devoted much time and labor to the staging of the work, with which he had become familiar in his European appearances in it. This imposed upon him a heavy burden, but he came out of the ordeal successfully. He is a man of excellent stage presence, and his Manru has a large pictorial value.... As a singer the new-comer disclosed a voice of heroic proportions, somewhat tinged with a baritone quality in the lower register. In this it is like the typical German tenor voice. It would not be at all difficult to pick flaws in the singer's vocal method, but his faults are likely in the long run to do more harm to him than to his hearers. He sings in tune and with inspiring earnestness. His enunciation is clear and his treatment of declamatory passages good.... His impersonation of Manru has the approval of Mr. Paderewski.... New York Times, 21 Feb 1902

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