Amalie Materna
Encyclopedia
Amalie Materna (10 July 1844 St Georgen, Austria- 18 January 1918 Vienna
) was an Austrian opera
tic soprano
. While possessing a famously powerful voice, Materna also maintained a youthful bright vocal timbre throughout her career which spanned for three decades. She is best remembered today for originating several roles in operas by Richard Wagner
.
in 1865. She then appeared in several operettas at the Carltheater
in Vienna
. She made her debut at the Vienna State Opera
in 1869, singing
Selika in L'Africaine
. Popularly received, Materna became a regular performer at the Vienna court for the next 25 years. Her notable performances include Amneris in the first Vienna performance of Aida
in 1874 and the title role at the première of Goldmark
's Die Königin von Saba
(10 March 1875).
Materna was perhaps most admired for her interpretations of the works of Richard Wagner
. She sang the role of Brünnhilde in the first complete Ring Cycle in Bayreuth (1876), appearing also in the first Vienna performances of Die Walküre
(1877) and Siegfried
(1878), and in the first Ring Cycle in Berlin at the Victoria Theatre
(1881). In 1882 she originated the role of Kundry in Parsifal
at Bayreuth, repeating the role there at every festival until 1891.
In 1884, Materna toured the United States with Hermann Winkelmann and Emil Scaria
. She joined the Metropolitan Opera
roster the following year making her début on 5 January 1885 as Elisabeth in Tannhäuser
. Her other roles at the Met included Valentine in Les Huguenots
, Rachel in La juive
and Brünnhilde in Die Walküre. Writing in The New York Times, W. J. Henderson described her Brünnhilde as "a portrayal of world-wide celebrity and her impressive scenes with Siegmund and Wotan last night – scenes in which her deep feeling, expressive tones, and majestic appearance...told quite as strongly as the beauty and volume of her voice, were awaited with a confidence that was fully justified by the event."
She returned to Vienna later in 1885 and appeared in numerous productions there for the next nine years. Her final performance in Vienna was as Elisabeth on 31 December 1894. After her retirement she taught singing in Vienna, where she made one last public appearance in 1913, singing Kundry at a concert commemorating the centenary of Wagner's birth.
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
) was an Austrian opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
tic soprano
Soprano
A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...
. While possessing a famously powerful voice, Materna also maintained a youthful bright vocal timbre throughout her career which spanned for three decades. She is best remembered today for originating several roles in operas by Richard Wagner
Richard Wagner
Wilhelm Richard Wagner was a German composer, conductor, theatre director, philosopher, music theorist, poet, essayist and writer primarily known for his operas...
.
Career
Materna made her professional opera début at GrazGraz
The more recent population figures do not give the whole picture as only people with principal residence status are counted and people with secondary residence status are not. Most of the people with secondary residence status in Graz are students...
in 1865. She then appeared in several operettas at the Carltheater
Carltheater
The Carltheater was a theatre in Vienna. It was in the suburbs in Leopoldstadt at Praterstraße 31 .It was the successor to the Leopoldstädter Theater. After a series of financial difficulties, that theater had been sold in 1838 to the director, Carl Carl, who continued to run it in parallel to his...
in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
. She made her debut at the Vienna State Opera
Vienna State Opera
The Vienna State Opera is an opera house – and opera company – with a history dating back to the mid-19th century. It is located in the centre of Vienna, Austria. It was originally called the Vienna Court Opera . In 1920, with the replacement of the Habsburg Monarchy by the First Austrian...
in 1869, singing
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
Selika in L'Africaine
L'Africaine
L'africaine is a grand opera, the last work of the composer Giacomo Meyerbeer. The French libretto was written by Eugène Scribe. The opera is about fictitious events in the life of the real historical person Vasco da Gama...
. Popularly received, Materna became a regular performer at the Vienna court for the next 25 years. Her notable performances include Amneris in the first Vienna performance of Aida
Aida
Aida sometimes spelled Aïda, is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Antonio Ghislanzoni, based on a scenario written by French Egyptologist Auguste Mariette...
in 1874 and the title role at the première of Goldmark
Goldmark
Goldmark can refer to:*German Goldmark, coinage of the German Empire*Karl Goldmark , composer*Rubin Goldmark, composer*Peter Carl Goldmark, scientist and inventor*Peter J. Goldmark, rancher, geneticist and politician...
's Die Königin von Saba
Die Königin von Saba
Die Königin von Saba is an opera in four acts by Karl Goldmark. The German libretto by Hermann Salomon Mosenthal, sets a love triangle into the context of the Queen of Sheba's visit to the court of King Solomon, recorded in First Kings...
(10 March 1875).
Materna was perhaps most admired for her interpretations of the works of Richard Wagner
Richard Wagner
Wilhelm Richard Wagner was a German composer, conductor, theatre director, philosopher, music theorist, poet, essayist and writer primarily known for his operas...
. She sang the role of Brünnhilde in the first complete Ring Cycle in Bayreuth (1876), appearing also in the first Vienna performances of Die Walküre
Die Walküre
Die Walküre , WWV 86B, is the second of the four operas that form the cycle Der Ring des Nibelungen , by Richard Wagner...
(1877) and Siegfried
Siegfried (opera)
Siegfried is the third of the four operas that constitute Der Ring des Nibelungen , by Richard Wagner. It received its premiere at the Bayreuth Festspielhaus on 16 August 1876, as part of the first complete performance of The Ring...
(1878), and in the first Ring Cycle in Berlin at the Victoria Theatre
Victoria Theatre
There are several theatres of this name:*Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall, located in Singapore*Victoria Theatre , located in the United States of America*Victoria Theatre , located in West Yorkshire, England...
(1881). In 1882 she originated the role of Kundry in Parsifal
Parsifal
Parsifal is an opera in three acts by Richard Wagner. It is loosely based on Wolfram von Eschenbach's Parzival, the 13th century epic poem of the Arthurian knight Parzival and his quest for the Holy Grail, and on Chrétien de Troyes' Perceval, the Story of the Grail.Wagner first conceived the work...
at Bayreuth, repeating the role there at every festival until 1891.
In 1884, Materna toured the United States with Hermann Winkelmann and Emil Scaria
Emil Scaria
Emil Scaria was an Austrian bass-baritone. Born in Graz, he studied at the conservatory in Vienna before making his deput in Pest in 1860; he sang the role of St. Bris in Les Huguenots. He was a failure, and abandoned the stage entirely in favor of further study; he selected Manuel García as his...
. She joined the Metropolitan Opera
Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera is an opera company, located in New York City. Originally founded in 1880, the company gave its first performance on October 22, 1883. The company is operated by the non-profit Metropolitan Opera Association, with Peter Gelb as general manager...
roster the following year making her début on 5 January 1885 as Elisabeth in Tannhäuser
Tannhäuser (opera)
Tannhäuser is an opera in three acts, music and text by Richard Wagner, based on the two German legends of Tannhäuser and the song contest at Wartburg...
. Her other roles at the Met included Valentine in Les Huguenots
Les Huguenots
Les Huguenots is a French opera by Giacomo Meyerbeer, one of the most popular and spectacular examples of the style of grand opera. The opera is in five acts and premiered in Paris in 1836. The libretto was written by Eugène Scribe and Émile Deschamps....
, Rachel in La juive
La Juive
La Juive is a grand opera in five acts by Fromental Halévy to an original French libretto by Eugène Scribe; it was first performed at the Opéra, Paris, on February 23, 1835.-Composition history:...
and Brünnhilde in Die Walküre. Writing in The New York Times, W. J. Henderson described her Brünnhilde as "a portrayal of world-wide celebrity and her impressive scenes with Siegmund and Wotan last night – scenes in which her deep feeling, expressive tones, and majestic appearance...told quite as strongly as the beauty and volume of her voice, were awaited with a confidence that was fully justified by the event."
She returned to Vienna later in 1885 and appeared in numerous productions there for the next nine years. Her final performance in Vienna was as Elisabeth on 31 December 1894. After her retirement she taught singing in Vienna, where she made one last public appearance in 1913, singing Kundry at a concert commemorating the centenary of Wagner's birth.
Gallery of roles
Sources
- Elizabeth Forbes: "Amalie Materna", Grove Music Online ed. L. Macy (Accessed October 20, 2008), (subscription access)