Maria Olszewska
Encyclopedia
Maria Olszewska was a German opera
tic contralto
.
s in that city in 1913. She made her first opera appearance in 1915 as the Page in Richard Wagner
's Tannhäuser
at the opera house
in Krefeld
. Soon after she was engaged at the Oper Leipzig
up through 1919.
Olszewska left Leipzig to join the Hamburg State Opera
, where she was engaged from 1919-1922. While there she notably portrayed Brigitta/Lucienne in the world première of Erich Wolfgang Korngold
's Die tote Stadt
on 4 December 1920. While singing in Hamburg she was appointed to the roster of artists at the Vienna State Opera
(VSO) in 1921 where she sang through 1923. She was a member of the Bavarian State Opera
in Munich
from 1923-1925, after which she returned to the VSO from 1925-1930. In 1925 she married baritone Emil Schipper (1882-1957).
Olszewska also appeared frequently as a guest artist ar opera houses around the world. In 1923 and 1928 she was heard as a guest at the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires. She made numerous appearance at the Royal Opera, London
between 1924-1932, where her performances in such roles as Fricka, Ortrud, Brangäne and Herodias drew the highest critical acclaim. Her Carmen and Amneris were less successful, but her Octavian and Orlofsky were highly regarded. In the United States she sang in Chicago (1928-32) and at the Metropolitan Opera
. She also gave performances at La Scala
, La Monnaie
, and highly successful tours in South and Central America.
Since 1947, Olszewska taught at the University of Music and Performing Arts, Vienna and in 1948 she became a lecturer at the Vienna State Opera. From 1951-1955 she again appeared at the Vienna Volksoper
, singing roles like Agricola in Johann Strauss II
's A Night in Venice. She retired from the stage in 1955 after which she devoted her time to teaching. She died in Klagenfurt
.
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 contralto
Contralto
Contralto is the deepest female classical singing voice, with the lowest tessitura, falling between tenor and mezzo-soprano. It typically ranges between the F below middle C to the second G above middle C , although at the extremes some voices can reach the E below middle C or the second B above...
.
Biography
Olszewska was born in Ludwigsschwaige. She studied singing in Munich with Karl Erler before beginning her career singing in operettaOperetta
Operetta is a genre of light opera, light in terms both of music and subject matter. It is also closely related, in English-language works, to forms of musical theatre.-Origins:...
s in that city in 1913. She made her first opera appearance in 1915 as the Page in Richard Wagner
Richard Wagner
Wilhelm Richard Wagner was a German composer, conductor, theatre director, philosopher, music theorist, poet, essayist and writer primarily known for his operas...
's Tannhäuser
Tannhäuser (opera)
Tannhäuser is an opera in three acts, music and text by Richard Wagner, based on the two German legends of Tannhäuser and the song contest at Wartburg...
at the opera house
Opera house
An opera house is a theatre building used for opera performances that consists of a stage, an orchestra pit, audience seating, and backstage facilities for costumes and set building...
in Krefeld
Krefeld
Krefeld , also known as Crefeld until 1929, is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located northwest of Düsseldorf, its centre lying just a few kilometres to the west of the River Rhine; the borough of Uerdingen is situated directly on the Rhine...
. Soon after she was engaged at the Oper Leipzig
Oper Leipzig
Oper Leipzig is an opera house and opera company in Leipzig, Germany.The Leipzig Opera traces its establishment to the year 1693, making it the third oldest opera venue in Europe after La Fenice and the Hamburg State Opera...
up through 1919.
Olszewska left Leipzig to join the Hamburg State Opera
Hamburg State Opera
The Hamburg State Opera is one of the leading opera companies in Germany.Opera in Hamburg dates back to 2 January 1678 when the "Opern-Theatrum" was inaugurated with a performance of a biblical Singspiel by Johann Theile...
, where she was engaged from 1919-1922. While there she notably portrayed Brigitta/Lucienne in the world première of Erich Wolfgang Korngold
Erich Wolfgang Korngold
Erich Wolfgang Korngold was an Austro-Hungarian film and romantic music composer. While his compositional style was considered well out of vogue at the time he died, his music has more recently undergone a reevaluation and a gradual reawakening of interest...
's Die tote Stadt
Die tote Stadt
Die tote Stadt is an opera in three acts by Erich Wolfgang Korngold. The libretto is by the composer and Paul Schott , and is based on Bruges-la-Morte, a short novel by Georges Rodenbach.-Performance history:When Die tote Stadt had its premiere on December 4, 1920, Korngold was just 23...
on 4 December 1920. While singing in Hamburg she was appointed to the roster of artists 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...
(VSO) in 1921 where she sang through 1923. She was a member of 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...
in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
from 1923-1925, after which she returned to the VSO from 1925-1930. In 1925 she married baritone Emil Schipper (1882-1957).
Olszewska also appeared frequently as a guest artist ar opera houses around the world. In 1923 and 1928 she was heard as a guest at the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires. She made numerous appearance at the Royal Opera, London
Royal Opera, London
The Royal Opera is an opera company based in central London, resident at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Along with the English National Opera, it is one of the two principal opera companies in London. Founded in 1946 as the Covent Garden Opera Company, it was known by that title until 1968...
between 1924-1932, where her performances in such roles as Fricka, Ortrud, Brangäne and Herodias drew the highest critical acclaim. Her Carmen and Amneris were less successful, but her Octavian and Orlofsky were highly regarded. In the United States she sang in Chicago (1928-32) and at the Metropolitan Opera
Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera is an opera company, located in New York City. Originally founded in 1880, the company gave its first performance on October 22, 1883. The company is operated by the non-profit Metropolitan Opera Association, with Peter Gelb as general manager...
. She also gave performances at La Scala
La Scala
La Scala , is a world renowned opera house in Milan, Italy. The theatre was inaugurated on 3 August 1778 and was originally known as the New Royal-Ducal Theatre at La Scala...
, La Monnaie
La Monnaie
Le Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie , or the Koninklijke Muntschouwburg is a theatre in Brussels, Belgium....
, and highly successful tours in South and Central America.
Since 1947, Olszewska taught at the University of Music and Performing Arts, Vienna and in 1948 she became a lecturer at the Vienna State Opera. From 1951-1955 she again appeared at the Vienna Volksoper
Vienna Volksoper
The Vienna Volksoper is a major opera house in Vienna, Austria. It gives about three hundred performances of twenty-five productions during an annual season running from September through June....
, singing roles like Agricola in Johann Strauss II
Johann Strauss II
Johann Strauss II , also known as Johann Baptist Strauss or Johann Strauss, Jr., the Younger, or the Son , was an Austrian composer of light music, particularly dance music and operettas. He composed over 500 waltzes, polkas, quadrilles, and other types of dance music, as well as several operettas...
's A Night in Venice. She retired from the stage in 1955 after which she devoted her time to teaching. She died in Klagenfurt
Klagenfurt
-Name:Carinthia's eminent linguists Primus Lessiak and Eberhard Kranzmayer assumed that the city's name, which literally translates as "ford of lament" or "ford of complaints", had something to do with the superstitious thought that fateful fairies or demons tend to live around treacherous waters...
.