Josef Tichatschek
Encyclopedia
Josef Aloys Tichatschek (11 July 1807 – 18 January 1886), originally Tichaček, was a Bohemian
opera singer highly regarded by Richard Wagner
. He created the title roles in Wagner's operas Rienzi
and Tannhäuser
.
As the first of the great Wagnerian tenors, he effectively was the original Heldentenor, although it is unlikely that his voice was as powerful as that of 20th-century Heldentenors such as Lauritz Melchior
or Jon Vickers
, given the smaller volume of sound produced by orchestras in his heyday.
, Náchod District
, Bohemia
), Tichatschek originally studied medicine, but he abandoned this career path for professional singing. He received voice lessons in Vienna
from the Italian tenor Giuseppe Ciccimarra
(1790–1836) and joined the chorus of the Kärntnertortheater in 1830. He advanced to chorus-inspector, and began to take small solo roles. Rising to the status of principal tenor, he worked first at Graz
before returning to Vienna. In 1837, he became principal tenor at Dresden
, a major music centre, where he remained until 1870. He sang in London, at Drury Lane
, in 1841, performing the roles of Adolar in Weber
's Euryanthe
and as Meyerbeer's Robert le diable
. At Dresden, he was coached by his famous colleague Wilhelmine Schröder-Devrient
, and there created the roles of Rienzi in 1842 and of Tannhäuser in 1845.
Wagner referred to his voice as "ein Wunder von männlich schönem Stimmorgan." Berlioz, referring to a Dresden concert in 1843, wrote: 'Tichatschek, the tenor, has a pure and touching voice, which becomes very powerful when animated by the dramatic action. His style of singing is simple and in good taste; he is a consummate reader and musician, and undertook the tenor solo in the Sanctus (from Berlioz's Requiem) at first sight, without reserve, or affectation, or pretension.' The singer's contemporary Sincerus emphasised that he was equally effective in works requiring romantic softness and sweetness of tone, having a very natural vocal production. His intonation and diction were above suspicion, but his 'coluratura' was imperfect and his acting sometimes a little awkward.
He was greatly admired by the basso Karl Formes
, who sang Robert le diable and Les Huguenots
, and other roles, with him and Johanna Wagner at Dresden in 1848-49. 'His color of tone was almost unequaled, quite as perfect as Mario
's... His "Florestan" in Fidelio
I have never heard equaled. In the Freischütz
his "Lives there no God" was almost appalling in its intensity.' In La Juive
, 'so terribly real in "the curse", so intense the pain and love' in "Recha, my daughter, wilt thou live...". His repertoire is said to have included principal roles of Gluck, Mozart, Weber, Marschner, Méhul, Boieldieu, Auber, Nicolai, Meyerbeer, Spontini, Flotow and Spohr.
. It is said that when they had finished going through the Act 3 recitative for the first time, he and Wagner embraced each other in tears. His voice, however, did not hold up well during the second and third acts of the first performance, and the repetition (for the next day) had to be postponed owing to his hoarseness, and when it did appear many cuts were made in the part. It is said that the virtual failure of Tannhäuser was owing to Tichatschek's inability to grasp the dramatic meaning of the work. This had been foreseen by Schröder-Devrient, and his lack of psychological subtlety, of dramatic insight and detailed study, soon became painfully apparent. Above all, Tichatschek's failure to bring off the dramatic meaning of the extended passage in the finale of Act 2 ('Erbarm' dich mein!') resulted in the need for this to be cut, much to Wagner's sorrow. In 1852-3 Wagner went over this ground in his essay On the Performing of Tannhäuser, but the cuts had become so customary that he had to explain the matter afresh (and with no happier outcome) to Niemann
who was to sing the role at Paris in 1861. He and Johanna Jachmann-Wagner remained friends for many years: she was Valentine opposite his Raoul in Les Huguenots
at Dresden in 1846. They appeared together in Tannhäuser at Dresden again in 1858.
in Wagner's absence during 1858-1859, when Tichatschek made an urgent plea for them to send Wagner (then in exile) a honorarium of 50 louis d'or - which they did. In 1867, when planning a production of Lohengrin for Ludwig II, Wagner recommended the almost 60-year-old Tichatschek for the role, saying that his Lohengrin had been the one really good thing the tenor had done, assuring the King that, while his singing and declamation in the role suggested a painting by Dürer, his appearance and gestures were like a Holbein. Wagner was delighted with his singing at the rehearsal, but Ludwig, thoroughly disillusioned by the singer's less-than-ideal appearance, forbade him to be employed for the performances, resulting in a rift between the King and the composer.
Tichatschek first told Wagner of the young Karlsruhe tenor who was to become his own successor, and more-than-successor, Ludwig Schnorr von Carolsfeld
, in 1856.
were written for him, to sing at Dresden in 1855. He also sang in the Berlin premiere of Le prophète
.
He died in Dresden, and is buried in the old Catholic cemetery on the Friedrichstraße.
Bohemian
A Bohemian is a resident of the former Kingdom of Bohemia, either in a narrow sense as the region of Bohemia proper or in a wider meaning as the whole country, now known as the Czech Republic. The word "Bohemian" was used to denote the Czech people as well as the Czech language before the word...
opera singer highly regarded 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...
. He created the title roles in Wagner's operas Rienzi
Rienzi
Rienzi, der Letzte der Tribunen is an early opera by Richard Wagner in five acts, with the libretto written by the composer after Bulwer-Lytton's novel of the same name . The title is commonly shortened to Rienzi...
and 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...
.
As the first of the great Wagnerian tenors, he effectively was the original Heldentenor, although it is unlikely that his voice was as powerful as that of 20th-century Heldentenors such as Lauritz Melchior
Lauritz Melchior
Lauritz Melchior was a Danish and later American opera singer. He was the pre-eminent Wagnerian tenor of the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s, and has since come to be considered the quintessence of his voice type.-Biography:...
or Jon Vickers
Jon Vickers
Jonathan Stewart Vickers, CC , known professionally as Jon Vickers, is a retired Canadian heldentenor.Born in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, he was the sixth in a family of eight children. In 1950, he was awarded a scholarship to study opera at The Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto...
, given the smaller volume of sound produced by orchestras in his heyday.
Outline
Born in Weckelsdorf (now part of Teplice nad MetujíTeplice nad Metují
Teplice nad Metují is a small town in the Hradec Králové Region of the Czech Republic. It has around 1,800 inhabitants.Villages and hamlets Bohdašín, Dědov, Dolní Teplice, Horní Teplice, Javor, Lachov, Skály and Zdoňov are administrative parts of Teplice nad Metují.-External links:*...
, Náchod District
Náchod District
Náchod District is a district within Hradec Králové Region of the Czech Republic. Its administrative center is the town of Náchod.-Complete list of towns and villages:Náchod -Adršpach -Bezděkov nad Metují -Bohuslavice -Borová -Božanov -...
, Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
), Tichatschek originally studied medicine, but he abandoned this career path for professional singing. He received voice lessons 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...
from the Italian tenor Giuseppe Ciccimarra
Giuseppe Ciccimarra
Giuseppe Ciccimarra was an Italian tenor, closely associated with Rossini roles.-Career:Ciccimarra was born in Altamura...
(1790–1836) and joined the chorus of the Kärntnertortheater in 1830. He advanced to chorus-inspector, and began to take small solo roles. Rising to the status of principal tenor, he worked first at Graz
Graz
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...
before returning to Vienna. In 1837, he became principal tenor at 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....
, a major music centre, where he remained until 1870. He sang in London, at Drury Lane
Drury Lane
Drury Lane is a street on the eastern boundary of the Covent Garden area of London, running between Aldwych and High Holborn. The northern part is in the borough of Camden and the southern part in the City of Westminster....
, in 1841, performing the roles of Adolar in Weber
Carl Maria von Weber
Carl Maria Friedrich Ernst von Weber was a German composer, conductor, pianist, guitarist and critic, one of the first significant composers of the Romantic school....
's Euryanthe
Euryanthe
Euryanthe is a German "grand, heroic, romantic" opera by Carl Maria von Weber, first performed at the Theater am Kärntnertor, Vienna on 25 October 1823...
and as Meyerbeer's Robert le diable
Robert le diable (opera)
Robert le diable is an opera by Giacomo Meyerbeer, often regarded as the first grand opera. The libretto was written by Eugène Scribe and Casimir Delavigne and has little connection to the medieval legend of Robert the Devil. Originally planned as a three-act opéra comique, "Meyerbeer persuaded...
. At Dresden, he was coached by his famous colleague Wilhelmine Schröder-Devrient
Wilhelmine Schröder-Devrient
Wilhelmine Schröder-Devrient, born Wilhelmine Schröder , was a German operatic soprano. As a singer she combined a rare quality of tone with dramatic intensity of expression, which was as remarkable on the concert platform as in opera.- Biography :Schröder was born in Hamburg, the daughter of the...
, and there created the roles of Rienzi in 1842 and of Tannhäuser in 1845.
Wagner referred to his voice as "ein Wunder von männlich schönem Stimmorgan." Berlioz, referring to a Dresden concert in 1843, wrote: 'Tichatschek, the tenor, has a pure and touching voice, which becomes very powerful when animated by the dramatic action. His style of singing is simple and in good taste; he is a consummate reader and musician, and undertook the tenor solo in the Sanctus (from Berlioz's Requiem) at first sight, without reserve, or affectation, or pretension.' The singer's contemporary Sincerus emphasised that he was equally effective in works requiring romantic softness and sweetness of tone, having a very natural vocal production. His intonation and diction were above suspicion, but his 'coluratura' was imperfect and his acting sometimes a little awkward.
He was greatly admired by the basso Karl Formes
Karl Formes
Karl Johann Franz Formes , also called Charles John Formes, was a German bass opera and oratorio singer who had a long international career especially in Germany, London and New York...
, who sang Robert le diable and 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....
, and other roles, with him and Johanna Wagner at Dresden in 1848-49. 'His color of tone was almost unequaled, quite as perfect as Mario
Mario (tenor)
Giovanni Matteo "Mario" was an Italian opera singer. The most celebrated tenor of his era, he was lionized by audiences in Paris and London.-Early life:...
's... His "Florestan" in Fidelio
Fidelio
Fidelio is a German opera in two acts by Ludwig van Beethoven. It is Beethoven's only opera. The German libretto is by Joseph Sonnleithner from the French of Jean-Nicolas Bouilly which had been used for the 1798 opera Léonore, ou L’amour conjugal by Pierre Gaveaux, and for the 1804 opera Leonora...
I have never heard equaled. In the Freischütz
Der Freischütz
Der Freischütz is an opera in three acts by Carl Maria von Weber with a libretto by Friedrich Kind. It premiered on 18 June 1821 at the Schauspielhaus Berlin...
his "Lives there no God" was almost appalling in its intensity.' 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:...
, 'so terribly real in "the curse", so intense the pain and love' in "Recha, my daughter, wilt thou live...". His repertoire is said to have included principal roles of Gluck, Mozart, Weber, Marschner, Méhul, Boieldieu, Auber, Nicolai, Meyerbeer, Spontini, Flotow and Spohr.
Rienzi
The title role of Rienzi was written for Tichatschek, and was exactly suited to his robust and dramatic voice. He learnt the part by singing it at sight from score during rehearsals, rather than by home study, with the result that he brought little reflection or dramatic intelligence to bear upon it. The first performance lasted about six hours and caused great excitement. Wagner instructed that cuts should be made, but Tichatschek refused saying it was 'too heavenly'. After six performances it was decided to give the opera over two nights, but people objected to paying twice, and so the cuts were made. The work did not meet the same success in Hamburg and Berlin because Tichatschek did not appear there, and he was the only one whose voice and presence were then adequate for the role. Berlioz wrote: 'Tichatschek is gracious, impassioned, brilliant, heroic, and entrancing in the role of Rienzi, in which his fine voice and large fiery eyes are of inestimable service... I remember a beautiful prayer sung in the last act.'Tannhäuser
Tichatschek rehearsed this role with Wagner as it was being written, in company with his Elisabeth, the mezzo-soprano Johanna Jachmann-WagnerJohanna Jachmann-Wagner
Johanna Jachmann-Wagner or Johanna Wagner was a mezzo-soprano singer, tragédienne in theatrical drama, and teacher of singing and theatrical performance who won great distinction in Europe during the third quarter of the 19th century...
. It is said that when they had finished going through the Act 3 recitative for the first time, he and Wagner embraced each other in tears. His voice, however, did not hold up well during the second and third acts of the first performance, and the repetition (for the next day) had to be postponed owing to his hoarseness, and when it did appear many cuts were made in the part. It is said that the virtual failure of Tannhäuser was owing to Tichatschek's inability to grasp the dramatic meaning of the work. This had been foreseen by Schröder-Devrient, and his lack of psychological subtlety, of dramatic insight and detailed study, soon became painfully apparent. Above all, Tichatschek's failure to bring off the dramatic meaning of the extended passage in the finale of Act 2 ('Erbarm' dich mein!') resulted in the need for this to be cut, much to Wagner's sorrow. In 1852-3 Wagner went over this ground in his essay On the Performing of Tannhäuser, but the cuts had become so customary that he had to explain the matter afresh (and with no happier outcome) to Niemann
Albert Niemann (tenor)
Albert Wilhelm Karl Niemann was a leading German tenor opera singer especially associated with the operas of Richard Wagner...
who was to sing the role at Paris in 1861. He and Johanna Jachmann-Wagner remained friends for many years: she was Valentine opposite his Raoul 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....
at Dresden in 1846. They appeared together in Tannhäuser at Dresden again in 1858.
Lohengrin
Tichatschek was also a distinguished Lohengrin. The Dresden management presented LohengrinLohengrin (opera)
Lohengrin is a romantic opera in three acts composed and written by Richard Wagner, first performed in 1850. The story of the eponymous character is taken from medieval German romance, notably the Parzival of Wolfram von Eschenbach and its sequel, Lohengrin, written by a different author, itself...
in Wagner's absence during 1858-1859, when Tichatschek made an urgent plea for them to send Wagner (then in exile) a honorarium of 50 louis d'or - which they did. In 1867, when planning a production of Lohengrin for Ludwig II, Wagner recommended the almost 60-year-old Tichatschek for the role, saying that his Lohengrin had been the one really good thing the tenor had done, assuring the King that, while his singing and declamation in the role suggested a painting by Dürer, his appearance and gestures were like a Holbein. Wagner was delighted with his singing at the rehearsal, but Ludwig, thoroughly disillusioned by the singer's less-than-ideal appearance, forbade him to be employed for the performances, resulting in a rift between the King and the composer.
Tichatschek first told Wagner of the young Karlsruhe tenor who was to become his own successor, and more-than-successor, Ludwig Schnorr von Carolsfeld
Ludwig Schnorr von Carolsfeld
Ludwig Schnorr von Carolsfeld was a German Heldentenor and the creator of the role of Tristan in Richard Wagner's opera Tristan und Isolde...
, in 1856.
Tichatschek and Meyerbeer
Tichatschek sang in various German premieres of Meyerbeer's operas. The Act 1 polonaise and the Act 3 arioso for Danilowitz in L'etoile du nordL'étoile du nord
L'étoile du nord is an opéra comique in three acts by Giacomo Meyerbeer. The French-language libretto was by Eugène Scribe....
were written for him, to sing at Dresden in 1855. He also sang in the Berlin premiere of Le prophète
Le prophète
Le prophète is an opera in five acts by Giacomo Meyerbeer. The French-language libretto was by Eugène Scribe.-Performance history:...
.
He died in Dresden, and is buried in the old Catholic cemetery on the Friedrichstraße.
External links
- Daguerrotype portrait of Tichatschek in 1852 by Hermann Krone in the Dresden Museum for the Study of Historic Photography
- Tichatschek page with biog, images, genealogy. Braunauer-ahnenforschung
- Neil Howlett article describing Tichatschek's repertoire
Sources
- Richard Arsenty (2004), Giacomo Meyerbeer:The complete libretti in five volumes. Cambridge, Scholars press.
- Hector BerliozHector BerliozHector Berlioz was a French Romantic composer, best known for his compositions Symphonie fantastique and Grande messe des morts . Berlioz made significant contributions to the modern orchestra with his Treatise on Instrumentation. He specified huge orchestral forces for some of his works; as a...
(1932), Memoirs of Hector Berlioz from 1803 to 1865, annotated by Ernest Newman. Alfred Knopf, New York. - Houston Stewart ChamberlainHouston Stewart ChamberlainHouston Stewart Chamberlain was a British-born German author of books on political philosophy, natural science and the German composer Richard Wagner. He later became a German citizen. Chamberlain married Wagner's daughter, Eva, some years after Wagner's death...
(1923), Richard Wagner (7th edition). F. Bruckmann, Munich. - H. Rosenthal and J. Warrack (1974 edition), The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Opera. Oxford University Press, London.
- Gustav KobbéGustav KobbéGustav Kobbé M.A. was an American music critic and author, best known for his guide to the operas, The Complete Opera Book, first published in the United States in 1919 and the United Kingdom in 1922.- Biography :Kobbé was born in March 1857 in New York City to William...
(1935 edition), The Complete Opera BookThe Complete Opera BookThe Complete Opera Book is a guide to operas by American music critic and author Gustav Kobbé first published in the United States in 1919 and the United Kingdom in 1922...
. Putnam, London. - E. Newman (1931), Fact And Fiction About Richard Wagner. Cassell, London.
- Ernest NewmanErnest NewmanErnest Newman was an English music critic and musicologist. Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians describes him as "the most celebrated British music critic in the first half of the 20th century." His style of criticism, aiming at intellectual objectivity in contrast to the more subjective...
(1933–1946), The Life of Richard Wagner (4 Volumes). Alfred Knopf, New York. - H. Jachmann (1944 edition), Wagner and his First Elizabeth. Novello and Co., London.