Release Date: 31 October 2003
Label: Naxos - Nostalgia / Naxos Nostalgic
Packaging Type: Jewel Case
No of Units: 1
Barcode: 636943272220
Genres: Classical
Composer/Series: SACK, Erna
Description
ERNA SACK The German NightingaleOriginal 1934-1950 RecordingsThe waltzes of Johann Strauss rehashed to display astratospheric vocal extension may not be to everyone's taste, even when thatextension is grafted onto a middle register of outstanding warmth and quality.But far from being just a vocal stunt for 'canary fanciers' however, Erna Sackwas audibly well-endowed in both areas. Her stunning facility to C'''' (onewhole octave above normal soprano top C) was, as far as voices go - LucreziaAgujari in the eighteenth century and the more recent Mado Robin notwithstanding- effectively without peer and while her well-anchored mid-range singing wassweet her phenomenal top prompted the other Strauss to write for her newcadenzas to Zerbinetta's music in his Ariadne auf Naxos. Outside the realm ofopera, for a time a f?â?¬ted protegee of Nazi Kulturpolitik, in her native GermanySack became one of the most 'popular' German singers of her generation. Born Erna Weber (Sack was her marriedname) into a modest family background in Berlin-Spandau on 2February 1898, shesang in her local church choir from the age of nine and on leaving school atsixteen with a burning ambition to sing, worked initially as a stenographer topay for her training, first at the Prague conservatoire then privately withOscar Daniel (1879-?) in Berlin. A noted Hungarian tenor-turned-pedagogue whosepupils included Maria Cebotari, Jaro Dworsky, Herbert Janssen and GotaLjungberg, Daniel trained her as a mezzo-soprano and in 1925 she made her debutas such with the Berlin State Opera. From 1928 until 1930 Sack was engaged for both mezzo andsoubrette parts with the Berlin City Opera before finally emerging as afully-fledged lyric-coloratura soprano - that most rare of operatic birds inabout 1930. At Bielefeld, between 1930 and 1932, among other r?â??les, she washeard as Sophie in Rosenkavalier, Susanna in Figaro, Micaela in Carmen andNorina in Don Pasquale and her subsequent career in Wiesbaden (1932) andBreslau (1934) followed similar lines. After guest appearances at the DresdenState Opera (as Rosina in Barbier von Sevilla and Frau Fluth in Nicolai'sLustigen Weibern von Windsor) in 1935 she joined the Company's roster andremained until 1941, appearing during that time at Salzburg as well as in twoDresden world-premi?â?¿res: Richard Strauss's Schweigsame Frau (June 1935) andOthmar Schoeck's Massimilla Doni (March 1937). Her 1933 guest appearance at the Berlin State left such alasting impression that over the next three years a broader internationalhorizon opened, including La Scala, Milan, the Paris Opera and Covent Gardenwhere, on 6November 1936, with the Dresden State Company under the baton of thecomposer, she sang 'a brilliant-sounding Ariadne'. During her visit to Londonshe sang for King George V who presented her with a diamond-encrusted cross inrecognition. The following year she also successfully undertook her first NorthAmerican concert tour during which her appearances in opera
Tracklisting
Various
Wisdom:Grenfell:Murray
Whiteman
Various Artists
Various Artists
Various Artists
Various Artists
Various Artists
