Lotte Lehmann German opera singer, soprano Date of Birth: 27.02.1888 Country: USA

Biography of Lotte Lehmann

Lotte Lehmann, a German opera singer, was born in 1888 in the then Austro-Hungarian city of Perleberg. In 1902, her family moved to Berlin, where young Lotte studied music and singing. By 1910, Lehmann had already signed a contract with the Hamburg Opera, and by 1914, the young singer had made her first recordings. Her success was largely attributed to her incredible performance as Elsa in Wagner's "Lohengrin". Enrico Caruso, who heard Lehmann perform as Eurydice in Gluck's "Orfeo ed Euridice", was impressed by her talent. In 1914, she made her debut in London and subsequently appeared at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, throughout her career. Her long-standing friendship with the Vienna State Opera began in 1916. By the 1930s, Lehmann had already performed roles in operas such as "Ariadne auf Naxos", "Die Frau ohne Schatten", and "Intermezzo" by Richard Strauss, as well as several operas by Puccini. Her debut in Chicago occurred in 1930, in Wagner's "Die Walküre", and she later conquered other renowned opera stages in America, including the San Francisco Opera and the Metropolitan Opera in New York. Some of Lehmann's most successful stage roles were considered to be Sieglinde in "Die Walküre", Eva in "Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg", and Elisabeth in "Tannhäuser". Lehmann was one of the few German opera divas who excelled in the Italian repertoire. Maestro Giacomo Puccini was particularly delighted by her performances in almost all of his operas. Her warm and vibrant voice was highly praised in lyrical and lyric-dramatic roles. Lehmann's natural and heartfelt interpretations were attributed to her humble and down-to-earth nature, despite her immense popularity in the world of opera. In the 1930s, she embarked on numerous tours, visiting cities such as Buenos Aires, London, Paris, and performing at the Salzburg Festival. In the late 1930s, the singer emigrated to the United States due to a conflict with Hermann Göring. In 1945, Lehmann retired from the grand stage and made several concert appearances, giving her final farewell concert in 1951 in New York. Afterward, she taught and directed opera productions. In addition to her musical career, Lehmann was a multi-talented individual who wrote several books, including textbooks and autobiographies. She was also a painter and poet. Lotte Lehmann passed away at the age of 88 on August 26, 1976, in Santa Barbara, California. She is buried in Vienna, Austria.