Wilhelm Elsner
Encyclopedia
Wilhelm Elsner was a German
opera
tic tenor
who had an active international career from 1889 to 1903. Although his initial success was primarily in the lyric repertoire, he eventually became highly regaurded for his portrayals of Wagnerian
heroes.
, Elsner received his training in his native city from Hermann Pfeiffer
before making his professional opera debut in 1889 at the opera house of Linz. He remained active at the house until 1891 when he joined Theater Regensburg
for the 1891-1892 season. He performed at the opera house in Graz from 1892 to 1896, where he notably sang the title role in the 1893 world premiere of Siegmund von Hausegger
's Helfrid.
In 1896 Elsner joined the roster of principal singers at the Neues Deutsches Theater
in Prague where he was committed until his death. His initial parts at that house were lyrical roles like Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni
and the title role in Charles Gounod
's Faust
. He expanded into the dramatic repertoire, assailing a number of Wagner roles like Loge in Das Rheingold
, the title role in Lohengrin
, Siegmund in Die Walküre
, and Walther in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg
. He was particularly loved for his Tristan in Tristan und Isolde
. In 1903 he appeared in the world premiere of Cesare Rossi's Nadeya.
As a guest artist, Elsner appeared at the Vienna State Opera
(1899), the Bavarian State Opera
(1902), the Semperoper
(1902), and the Opern- und Schauspielhaus Frankfurt (1902), mostly in Wagner roles. At the time of his sudden death in Prague in August 1903, he was in negotiations to join the roster of singers at the Bavarian State Opera. He was also supposed to sing the role of Pedro in the world premiere of Eugen d'Albert
's Tiefland
the following November.
Ethnic German
Ethnic Germans historically also ), also collectively referred to as the German diaspora, refers to people who are of German ethnicity. Many are not born in Europe or in the modern-day state of Germany or hold German citizenship...
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 tenor
Tenor
The tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2...
who had an active international career from 1889 to 1903. Although his initial success was primarily in the lyric repertoire, he eventually became highly regaurded for his portrayals of Wagnerian
Richard Wagner
Wilhelm Richard Wagner was a German composer, conductor, theatre director, philosopher, music theorist, poet, essayist and writer primarily known for his operas...
heroes.
Biography
Born in BrnoBrno
Brno by population and area is the second largest city in the Czech Republic, the largest Moravian city, and the historical capital city of the Margraviate of Moravia. Brno is the administrative centre of the South Moravian Region where it forms a separate district Brno-City District...
, Elsner received his training in his native city from Hermann Pfeiffer
Hermann Pfeiffer
Leutnant Hermann Pfeiffer was a World War I flying ace credited with eleven aerial victories.Pfeiffer joined the German army on 1 October 1913. He rose to Unteroffizier in the 114th Bavarian Infantry Regiment. He won an Iron Cross Second Class in May 1915. He then transferred to aviation, and in...
before making his professional opera debut in 1889 at the opera house of Linz. He remained active at the house until 1891 when he joined Theater Regensburg
Theater Regensburg
Theater Regensburg is a theatrical organization that produces operas, musicals, ballets, plays, and concerts in Regensburg, Germany...
for the 1891-1892 season. He performed at the opera house in Graz from 1892 to 1896, where he notably sang the title role in the 1893 world premiere of Siegmund von Hausegger
Siegmund von Hausegger
Siegmund von Hausegger was an Austrian composer and conductor.-Early life:Siegmund was born in Graz, the son of Friedrich von Hausegger , a lawyer and writer on music...
's Helfrid.
In 1896 Elsner joined the roster of principal singers at the Neues Deutsches Theater
Prague State Opera
The Prague State Opera , is an opera and ballet company in Prague, Czech Republic. The theatre was originally founded in 1888 as the New German Theatre and from 1949 to 1989 it was known as the Smetana Theatre....
in Prague where he was committed until his death. His initial parts at that house were lyrical roles like Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni
Don Giovanni
Don Giovanni is an opera in two acts with music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and with an Italian libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte. It was premiered by the Prague Italian opera at the Teatro di Praga on October 29, 1787...
and the title role in Charles Gounod
Charles Gounod
Charles-François Gounod was a French composer, known for his Ave Maria as well as his operas Faust and Roméo et Juliette.-Biography:...
's Faust
Faust (opera)
Faust is a drame lyrique in five acts by Charles Gounod to a French libretto by Jules Barbier and Michel Carré from Carré's play Faust et Marguerite, in turn loosely based on Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's Faust, Part 1...
. He expanded into the dramatic repertoire, assailing a number of Wagner roles like Loge in Das Rheingold
Das Rheingold
is the first of the four operas that constitute Richard Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen . It was originally written as an introduction to the tripartite Ring, but the cycle is now generally regarded as consisting of four individual operas.Das Rheingold received its premiere at the National Theatre...
, the title role in Lohengrin
Lohengrin (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...
, Siegmund in 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...
, and Walther in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg
Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg
Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg is an opera in three acts, written and composed by Richard Wagner. It is among the longest operas still commonly performed today, usually taking around four and a half hours. It was first performed at the Königliches Hof- und National-Theater in Munich, on June 21,...
. He was particularly loved for his Tristan in Tristan und Isolde
Tristan und Isolde
Tristan und Isolde is an opera, or music drama, in three acts by Richard Wagner to a German libretto by the composer, based largely on the romance by Gottfried von Straßburg. It was composed between 1857 and 1859 and premiered in Munich on 10 June 1865 with Hans von Bülow conducting...
. In 1903 he appeared in the world premiere of Cesare Rossi's Nadeya.
As a guest artist, Elsner appeared 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...
(1899), the Bavarian State Opera
Bavarian State Opera
The Bavarian State Opera is an opera company based in Munich, Germany.Its orchestra is the Bavarian State Orchestra.- History:The opera company which was founded under Princess Henriette Adelaide of Savoy has been in existence since 1653...
(1902), the Semperoper
Semperoper
The Semperoper is the opera house of the Sächsische Staatsoper Dresden and the concert hall of the Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden . It is located near the Elbe River in the historic center of Dresden, Germany.The opera house was originally built by the architect Gottfried Semper in 1841...
(1902), and the Opern- und Schauspielhaus Frankfurt (1902), mostly in Wagner roles. At the time of his sudden death in Prague in August 1903, he was in negotiations to join the roster of singers at the Bavarian State Opera. He was also supposed to sing the role of Pedro in the world premiere of Eugen d'Albert
Eugen d'Albert
Eugen Francis Charles d'Albert was a Scottish-born German pianist and composer.Educated in Britain, d'Albert showed early musical talent and, at the age of seventeen, he won a scholarship to study in Austria...
's Tiefland
Tiefland (opera)
Tiefland is an opera in a prologue and three acts by Eugen d'Albert, to a libretto in German by Rudolph Lothar. Based on the 1896 Catalan play Terra baixa by Àngel Guimerà, Tiefland was d'Albert's seventh opera, and is the one which is now the best known.-Performance history:Tiefland was first...
the following November.