Ferdinand Frantz
Encyclopedia
Ferdinand Frantz was a German
operatic bass-baritone
. He was well known in his time for his performances in the operas of Richard Wagner
.
Fond of music as a boy, he joined a choral society in Kassel and at 16 was chosen to take a small solo part. Four years followed of training his bass voice. Frantz's first role was in the Kassel Staatstheater in 1927, playing Hermann Ortel in a production of Wagner's Die Meistersinger. He sang at the Halle Opera House
from 1930–32, then in Chemnitz
from 1932–1937, and then in Hamburg
with the Hamburg State Opera
from 1937-43. In 1943 he began singing with the Munich State Opera, for whom he would sing until the year of his death.
Frantz guested at the Vienna Staatsoper, Semper Oper in Dresden
, at La Scala
, and Covent Garden
. He debuted at the Metropolitan Opera
in 1949, playing Wotan in Wagner's Die Walküre
. This role caused some consternation among operagoers: Helen Traubel
was to play Brünnhilde opposite Frantz's Wotan, and when Traubel could not perform, Frantz's wife, soprano Helena Braun, stepped into the role. The resulting situation of a husband and wife playing the roles of father and daughter was covered on the front page of New York newspapers.
He began as a low bass and moved up to bass-baritone. He was best known as Wotan/Wanderer and Hans Sachs; several recordings are available of him doing these roles in the late 1940s and early 1950s. "Opera" called his Sachs "one of the most impressive of our day". He also left records as Amfortas and as Jokanaan
.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
operatic bass-baritone
Bass-baritone
A bass-baritone is a high-lying bass or low-lying "classical" baritone voice type which shares certain qualities with the true baritone voice. The term arose in the late 19th century to describe the particular type of voice required to sing three Wagnerian roles: the Dutchman in Der fliegende...
. He was well known in his time for his performances in the operas 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...
.
Fond of music as a boy, he joined a choral society in Kassel and at 16 was chosen to take a small solo part. Four years followed of training his bass voice. Frantz's first role was in the Kassel Staatstheater in 1927, playing Hermann Ortel in a production of Wagner's Die Meistersinger. He sang at the Halle Opera House
Halle Opera House
The Halle Opera House is an opera house in Halle, Saxony-Anhalt. Originally named the Halle Town Theatre , the theatre was built in 1886. A bomb attack on 31 March 1945 destroyed much of the original building. Restorative work ensued a few years later, and the theatre reopened in 1951 under the...
from 1930–32, then in Chemnitz
Chemnitz
Chemnitz is the third-largest city of the Free State of Saxony, Germany. Chemnitz is an independent city which is not part of any county and seat of the government region Direktionsbezirk Chemnitz. Located in the northern foothills of the Ore Mountains, it is a part of the Saxon triangle...
from 1932–1937, and then in Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
with the Hamburg State Opera
Hamburg State Opera
The Hamburg State Opera is one of the leading opera companies in Germany.Opera in Hamburg dates back to 2 January 1678 when the "Opern-Theatrum" was inaugurated with a performance of a biblical Singspiel by Johann Theile...
from 1937-43. In 1943 he began singing with the Munich State Opera, for whom he would sing until the year of his death.
Frantz guested at the Vienna Staatsoper, Semper Oper in Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
, at La Scala
La Scala
La Scala , is a world renowned opera house in Milan, Italy. The theatre was inaugurated on 3 August 1778 and was originally known as the New Royal-Ducal Theatre at La Scala...
, and Covent Garden
Covent Garden
Covent Garden is a district in London on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St. Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit and vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist site, and the Royal Opera House, which is also known as...
. He debuted at 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...
in 1949, playing Wotan in Wagner's 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...
. This role caused some consternation among operagoers: Helen Traubel
Helen Traubel
Helen Francesca Traubel was an American opera and concert singer. A dramatic soprano, she was best known for her Wagnerian roles, especially those of Brünnhilde and Isolde. Born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, she began her career as a concert singer and went on to sing at the Metropolitan...
was to play Brünnhilde opposite Frantz's Wotan, and when Traubel could not perform, Frantz's wife, soprano Helena Braun, stepped into the role. The resulting situation of a husband and wife playing the roles of father and daughter was covered on the front page of New York newspapers.
He began as a low bass and moved up to bass-baritone. He was best known as Wotan/Wanderer and Hans Sachs; several recordings are available of him doing these roles in the late 1940s and early 1950s. "Opera" called his Sachs "one of the most impressive of our day". He also left records as Amfortas and as Jokanaan
Salome (opera)
Salome is an opera in one act by Richard Strauss to a German libretto by the composer, based on Hedwig Lachmann’s German translation of the French play Salomé by Oscar Wilde. Strauss dedicated the opera to his friend Sir Edgar Speyer....
.
External links
- [ Ferdinand Frantz] at Allmusic.com