Amalie Materna Austrian opera singer-soprano Date of Birth: 10.07.1844 Country: Austria

1. Biography of Amalie Materna
2. Career Beginnings and Marriage
3. Success at the Vienna State Opera
4. Wagnerian Roles and International Performances
5. Metropolitan Opera Debut and Later Years

Biography of Amalie Materna

Amalie Materna was an Austrian operatic soprano known for her incredibly powerful voice and youthful, bright vocal timbre throughout her career, which spanned over 30 years. She was born on July 10, 1844, in St Georgen, Austria.

Career Beginnings and Marriage

Amalie Materna made her professional opera debut at the Thalia Theatre in Graz in 1865. Shortly after, she married actor Karl Friedrich and received invitations to perform in operettas in provincial theaters near Vienna. She also performed at the Carltheater in Leopoldstadt until its destruction during bombings in 1944.

Success at the Vienna State Opera

In 1869, Materna made her debut at the Vienna State Opera, singing Selika in Giacomo Meyerbeer's "L'Africaine." Her performance was well-received, and she became a regular performer at the Viennese court for the next 25 years. Among her notable performances were Amneris in the Vienna premiere of Verdi's "Aida" in 1874 and the lead role in the premiere of Karl Goldmark's "Die Königin von Saba" at the Vienna Opera on March 10, 1875. However, Materna was most admired for her magnificent interpretations of Wagnerian heroines.

Wagnerian Roles and International Performances

Materna portrayed Brünnhilde in the first complete performance of Wagner's "Der Ring des Nibelungen" at the Bayreuth Festival in 1876. She sang in the Vienna premieres of "Die Walküre" in 1877 and "Siegfried" in 1878, as well as the first performance of "Der Ring des Nibelungen" in Berlin at the Victoria Theatre in 1881. In 1882, she became the first interpreter of Kundry in Wagner's "Parsifal" at the Bayreuth Festival and continued performing the role there annually until 1891. She also participated in Wagner concerts in England in 1877 and visited the United States in 1882, where she performed at the New York music festival.

Metropolitan Opera Debut and Later Years

In 1884, Materna embarked on a tour of the United States with German heldentenor Hermann Winkelmann and Austrian bass-baritone Emil Scaria. Her debut at the Metropolitan Opera in New York took place on January 5, 1885, where she performed Elisabeth in Wagner's "Tannhäuser." She also portrayed Valentine in "Les Huguenots," Rachel in "La juive," and Brünnhilde in "Die Walküre" at the Metropolitan Opera. A New York Times article described Materna as a world-renowned celebrity, and the critic was clearly impressed by her scenes with Siegmund and Wotan, praising her deep emotions, expressive tone, majestic appearance, and, of course, the beauty and power of her voice.

In the same year, Materna returned to Vienna and appeared in numerous opera productions over the next nine years. Her final performance at the Vienna State Opera was as Elisabeth on December 31, 1894. After retiring from the stage, Materna taught vocal lessons in Vienna. Her last public performance was as Kundry at a concert commemorating the 100th anniversary of Wagner's birth in 1913, at the age of 69. Amalie Materna passed away five years later on January 18, 1918.