Marianne Mathy
Encyclopedia
Marianne Mathy-Frisdane was a coloratura soprano opera singer and distinguished teacher of opera and classical singing.
Born Marianne Helene Sara Kahn in Mannheim, Germany
, in 1913 Marianne married Colonel Eric Mathy, an officer of Kaiser Wilhelm III's Imperial German Army. Though they divorced the next year, with Eric killed in action shortly thereafter, Marianne retained Mathy's name for the remainder of her life. In 1921, she married Berlin architect, Franz (Francis) Martin Friendenstein. They later changed this name by deed poll in February 1945 from Friendenstein to Frisdane.
Her musical education included piano, theory, speech training, interpretation and voice production, with a special course for the treatment of damaged vocal cords. Though her initial formal training emphasised piano, Marianne showed early promise as an opera and classical singer. In 1918 Marianne was offered her first engagement singing at a provincial opera, as Gretel in Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel. She became well-known as an interpreter of Lieder and of Early Music. She went on to perform in Germany during the 1920s and 1930s. In 1929 Marianne received the State Certificate, Berlin, with Honourable Mention in recognition of her public performances and as a teacher of singing.
In October 1939 Marianne and Francis immigrated to Sydney
, New South Wales
, Australia
. From 1959, Mathy-Frisdane taught for three years at the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA), and for over 12 years at the NSW State Conservatorium of Music (now Sydney Conservatorium of Music), and participated in the inaugural meeting for the New South Wales National Opera, the predecessor of the Australian Opera (now Opera Australia). In 1963 she was commissioned by the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust to make a new English translation of Gounod's opera Faust.
A highly-respected teacher of opera and classical singers, Mathy taught fifteen winners of the Sydney Sun Aria. In 1965 she wrote The Singer's Companion . Many of her pupils became nationally and internationally renowned opera singers and include Althea Bridges, June Bronhill
, Joan Sutherland
and Lyndon Terracini
to name but a few.
Marianne Mathy-Fridane left in her Will a bequest from which the Marianne Mathy Scholarship for young opera and classical singers was established. First awarded in 1982 to New Zealand soprano Nicola Waite, the Marianne Mathy Scholarship, also known as The Mathy, is one of the longest-running, recognised and respected scholarships of its type in Australia and New Zealand. The Marianne Mathy Scholarship (The Mathy) is the major award in the Australian Singing Competition. The Marianne Mathy Scholarship and the Australian Singing Competition
are managed by Music & Opera Singers Trust Limited (MOST).
Born Marianne Helene Sara Kahn in Mannheim, Germany
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...
, in 1913 Marianne married Colonel Eric Mathy, an officer of Kaiser Wilhelm III's Imperial German Army. Though they divorced the next year, with Eric killed in action shortly thereafter, Marianne retained Mathy's name for the remainder of her life. In 1921, she married Berlin architect, Franz (Francis) Martin Friendenstein. They later changed this name by deed poll in February 1945 from Friendenstein to Frisdane.
Her musical education included piano, theory, speech training, interpretation and voice production, with a special course for the treatment of damaged vocal cords. Though her initial formal training emphasised piano, Marianne showed early promise as an opera and classical singer. In 1918 Marianne was offered her first engagement singing at a provincial opera, as Gretel in Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel. She became well-known as an interpreter of Lieder and of Early Music. She went on to perform in Germany during the 1920s and 1930s. In 1929 Marianne received the State Certificate, Berlin, with Honourable Mention in recognition of her public performances and as a teacher of singing.
In October 1939 Marianne and Francis immigrated to Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. From 1959, Mathy-Frisdane taught for three years at the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA), and for over 12 years at the NSW State Conservatorium of Music (now Sydney Conservatorium of Music), and participated in the inaugural meeting for the New South Wales National Opera, the predecessor of the Australian Opera (now Opera Australia). In 1963 she was commissioned by the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust to make a new English translation of Gounod's opera Faust.
A highly-respected teacher of opera and classical singers, Mathy taught fifteen winners of the Sydney Sun Aria. In 1965 she wrote The Singer's Companion . Many of her pupils became nationally and internationally renowned opera singers and include Althea Bridges, June Bronhill
June Bronhill
June Bronhill OBE was an internationally acclaimed Australian soprano opera singer.-Biography:She was born June Mary Gough in the inland Australian city of Broken Hill, New South Wales...
, Joan Sutherland
Joan Sutherland
Dame Joan Alston Sutherland, OM, AC, DBE was an Australian dramatic coloratura soprano noted for her contribution to the renaissance of the bel canto repertoire from the late 1950s through to the 1980s....
and Lyndon Terracini
Lyndon Terracini
Lyndon Terracini is an operatic baritone and current Artistic Director of Opera Australia.Terracini's professional operatic debut was in 1976, as "Sid' in The Australian Opera's Albert Herring at the Sydney Opera House....
to name but a few.
Marianne Mathy-Fridane left in her Will a bequest from which the Marianne Mathy Scholarship for young opera and classical singers was established. First awarded in 1982 to New Zealand soprano Nicola Waite, the Marianne Mathy Scholarship, also known as The Mathy, is one of the longest-running, recognised and respected scholarships of its type in Australia and New Zealand. The Marianne Mathy Scholarship (The Mathy) is the major award in the Australian Singing Competition. The Marianne Mathy Scholarship and the Australian Singing Competition
Australian Singing Competition
The Australian Singing Competition evolved from the Marianne Mathy Scholarship, established in 1982 through a bequest made in the will of Marianne Mathy-Frisdane, a coloratura soprano opera singer and distinguished teacher of opera and classical singing....
are managed by Music & Opera Singers Trust Limited (MOST).