Opera Singers - J - Page 1
Historic Opera
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Jadlowker
Jadlowker
Jacoby
Jerger
Jerger
Jeritza
Jeritza
Jeritza
Jorn
Jorn
The celebrated and glamorous Czechoslovakian soprano Maria Jeritza
(1887-1982) was adored in New York, London, Vienna, and Paris. Richard
Strauss, another admirer, once said, "I love Jeritza even when she fluffs."
Like Geraldine Farrar, whose career took a turn toward retirement upon the
arrival of Jeritza to the Metropolitan Opera, she attracted the attention of the
media with her grand personality and temperament.
Latvian tenor Karl Jorn (1873-1947) as George Brown in Weisse Dame. He
made his debut (1896) at Freiburg as Lionel in Martha. He was an esteemed
singer in Berlin, but even Kaiser Wilhelm II could not keep him from sailing to
the United States where he eventually became a citizen. He was a member of
the Metropolitan Opera for six seasons (1908-1914).
Russian-born soprano Zinaida Jurjevskaja (1896?-1925) as Fiordiligi in
Mozart's Così fan tutte. She began her vocal studies in Berlin. She made her
debut (1922) at the Staatsoper in Rimsky-Korsakov's The Golden Cockerel. It
wasn't very long before she was hailed for her beautiful lyric voice. She sang
the title role in the Berlin premiere of Jenufa (1924). A pair of recitals in Paris,
in one of which she was accompanied on the piano by Sergei Prokofiev, were
met with favorable reviews. However, while on an excursion to Switzerland,
she apparently committed suicide by throwing herself into the river Reuss
near Andermatt. Photograph by A. Binder, Berlin.
Fritzi Jokl (23 Mar 1895 - 1974) Austrian soprano. Debut (1917) in Frankfurt,
where she remained until 1922. Greatly admired at the Munich State Opera in
Mozart operas. She also sang in Berlin, Darmstadt, the Vienna State Opera,
Amsterdam, and the Salzburg Festival. She was forced to leave Germany in
1933 because she was Jewish. In 1938 she came to the United States.
American contralto Josephine Jacoby (1875-1948) spent the majority of her
operatic career at the Metropolitan Opera (1903-08), making only occasional
operetta and concert appearances thereafter. She was one of the unfortunate
Metropolitan singers who was on tour in San Francisco during the great
earthquake and fire of 1906. Unlike some of her companions, she was able to
return to her Palace Hotel room long enough to gather her jewelry and dress
more fully; however, she only managed to slip her feet into Frasquita's gold
slippers, which she wore only hours before in a performance of Carmen.
Jurjevskaja
Jokl
Latvian tenor Hermann Jadlowker (1877-1953) as Rodolfo in La Bohème. He
was a superb singer of the florid style, which makes his recordings popular among
collectors. His early singing years were not remarkable, but his popularity grew
after his appearances in Karsruhe in 1906.
Austrian bass-baritone Alfred Jerger (1889-1976) in blackface for Krenek's Jonny
Spielt Auf. This "jazz" opera was first performed in Leipzig in 1927. That same year
Jerger was the first Vienna Jonny, a black band-leader responsible for stealing a
violin. At the time of the Vienna premiere there was a growing nationalistic
movement that found its way into the opera houses. Demonstrations were held
against this opera, whose featured character was black. One particular
performance was stopped when the audience thought that Jonny, played by Jerger,
was a black singer.