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Maria Ivogün - The Complete Odeon Recordings - 17 unpublished it

Artist Maria Ivogün
Title Maria Ivogün - The Complete Odeon Recordings - 17 unpublished it
Release Date Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Genre Classical > Choro
Composers Gaetano Donizetti, Giuseppe Verdi, Giacomo Meyerbeer, Gioacchino Rossini, Vincenzo Bellini, Giacomo Puccini, Peter Cornelius, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Georges Bizet, Eva Dell Aqua, Johann (Sohn) Strauß, Otto Nicolai, Frédèric Chopin / Francesco Paolo Tosti
Songwriters Maria Ivogün, Karl Erb / Maria Ivogün
Copyright © Preiser Records
Country AUSTRIA

Promotion Text

Lebendige Vergangenheit

Maria Ivogün (nee Kempner) was born in Budapest, the daughter of an Austro-Hungarian officer. Her mother, Ida von Günther, was a well-known opera and operetta singer. Maria lvogün used to listen to her mother practicing and soon learnt to sing opera and operetta arias herself. Already as a child she practically knew Sullivan's "Mikado" off by heart. When the family moved to Vienna, Maria Ivogün managed to keep up the close ties with her Hungarian homeland by annual summer holidays. During those holidays Maria Ivogün familiarized herself with Hungarian folklore and within a short time she bad leamt such a large repertoire of Magyar melodies that she was able to give small recitals for her family and friends. Her vocal talent was so obvious that her parents consented to a singing career. At the age of sixteen she became a student at the Vienna conservatoire. Her teacher was the highly esteemed Amalie Schlemmer-Ambros. She rapidly made progress and her outstanding coloratura and fioritura ability was soon evident. Variously encouraged she auditioned at the Vienna Hofoper even before her final examination. Apart from the director Hans Gregor, the famous conductor Bruno Walter, was also present. The latter bad already resigned his post in Vienna in favor of the Munich Opera. In bis autobiography, Bruno Walter describes bis first impression of her: "Very young, small and fragile - after she bad sung a coloratura aria and, if I recall correctly, Mimi's Act I aria, I knew that there was an artist with star potential, but, at the same time, I also knew that 'this girl would not flower for me' - that she would leave Gregor's office with a contract for the Vienna Opera. Imagine my delight when, after the audition, Gregor turned to me, saying: ''That was no good". Bruno Walter immediately engaged Maria Ivogün for a guest performance at the Munich Hofopera. On 1. April 1913, Maria Ivogün (the name is an anagram of her mother's maiden name) made her debut as Mimi, to resounding acclaim. Subsequently she returned to Vienna, passed her final examination by singing Rosina in 'Barber of Seville' (followed by a complete performance at the Theater an der Wien) and took up her engagement in Munich. Maria Ivogün "one of the most gifted singers ever to grace the stage" (Bruno Walter) stayed in Munich until 1925 - singing primarily the coloratura repertoire, especially Queen of the Night and Zerbinetta. But also her Susanna, Rosina, Norina and Gilda were regarded as exemplary portrayals. Bruno Walter remained her mentor throughout this time. During bis era at the Munich Opera she sang the Nightingale in Walter Braunfels' opera "Die Vögel" and Ighino in the world premiere of Pfitzner's "Palestrina". In 1916 she sang Zerbinetta in the revised version of "Ariadne auf Naxos" at the Vienna Hofoper. In 1925 she followed Bruno Walter to the Städtische Oper Berlin where she was triumphantly successful. From 1921 to 1932 she was married to the tenor Karl Erb. After her· divorce she married the famous concert pianist/accompanist Michael Raucheisen. Maria Ivogün toured extensively, singing at Covent Garden, the Metropolitan, La Scala, the Chicago Opera and numerous other European and American cities. She was also highly successful as a recitalist. Mention should also be made of her appearances at the Salzburg Festival: Norina in "Don Pasquale"; conducted by Bruno Walter (1925 and 1930), Zerlina and also a lieder recital she gave together with Karl Erb in 1925, especially praised for its subtly-chosen programme. True to her intention announced at an early age, Maria Ivogün bade farewell to stage and recital hall after a career of twenty years. After 1933 she started teaching. From 1948 to 1950 she was professor at the Vienna Music Academy and from 1950 onwards Professor at the College of music in Berlin. Numerous present-day coloratura singers were taught by her. Maria Ivogün is generally regarded as one of the supreme stylists in the history of belcanto singing. Whenever conversation turns to a discussion of the great coloratura sopranos of the past and present - Maria Ivogüns's name will most definitely be among them.