Pauline de Ahna
Encyclopedia
Pauline Maria de Ahna was a German operatic soprano
. She is best remembered today as the wife of composer
Richard Strauss
who wrote several of his works for her.
, the daughter of General Adolf de Ahna. She is best known as the wife of Richard Strauss
, who wrote many operatic roles for her, such as Freihild in Guntram
. They were married on 10 September 1894.
De Ahna was famous for being bossy, snobbish, ill-tempered, eccentric, and outspoken, but the marriage was happy, and she was a great source of inspiration to her husband in works up to and including the Four Last Songs
. On particular, Strauss portrayed De Ahna both as the hero's companion in Ein Heldenleben
and in several sections of Sinfonia Domestica.
She was also the subject of the one-woman show Die Frau im Schatten by Dame Gwyneth Jones.
De Ahna outlived her husband, but only by eight months, dying in Garmisch-Partenkirchen
in May 1950.
Soprano
A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...
. She is best remembered today as the wife of composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
Richard Strauss
Richard Strauss
Richard Georg Strauss was a leading German composer of the late Romantic and early modern eras. He is known for his operas, which include Der Rosenkavalier and Salome; his Lieder, especially his Four Last Songs; and his tone poems and orchestral works, such as Death and Transfiguration, Till...
who wrote several of his works for her.
Biography
De Ahna was born in IngolstadtIngolstadt
Ingolstadt is a city in the Free State of Bavaria, in the Federal Republic of Germany. It is located along the banks of the Danube River, in the center of Bavaria. As at 31 March 2011, Ingolstadt had 125.407 residents...
, the daughter of General Adolf de Ahna. She is best known as the wife of Richard Strauss
Richard Strauss
Richard Georg Strauss was a leading German composer of the late Romantic and early modern eras. He is known for his operas, which include Der Rosenkavalier and Salome; his Lieder, especially his Four Last Songs; and his tone poems and orchestral works, such as Death and Transfiguration, Till...
, who wrote many operatic roles for her, such as Freihild in Guntram
Guntram
Saint Guntram was the king of Burgundy from 561 to 592. He was a son of Chlothar I and Ingunda...
. They were married on 10 September 1894.
De Ahna was famous for being bossy, snobbish, ill-tempered, eccentric, and outspoken, but the marriage was happy, and she was a great source of inspiration to her husband in works up to and including the Four Last Songs
Four Last Songs
The Four Last Songs for soprano and orchestra were the final completed works of Richard Strauss, composed in 1948 when the composer was 84. Strauss did not live to hear the premiere, given at the Royal Albert Hall in London on 22 May 1950 by the soprano Kirsten Flagstad accompanied by the...
. On particular, Strauss portrayed De Ahna both as the hero's companion in Ein Heldenleben
Ein Heldenleben
Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40, is a tone poem by Richard Strauss. The work was completed in 1898, and heralds the composer's more mature period in this genre...
and in several sections of Sinfonia Domestica.
She was also the subject of the one-woman show Die Frau im Schatten by Dame Gwyneth Jones.
De Ahna outlived her husband, but only by eight months, dying in Garmisch-Partenkirchen
Garmisch-Partenkirchen
Garmisch-Partenkirchen is a mountain resort town in Bavaria, southern Germany. It is the administrative centre of the district of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, in the Oberbayern region, and the district is on the border with Austria...
in May 1950.
Sources
- Elizabeth Forbes: "Pauline de Ahna", Grove Music Online ed. L. Macy (Accessed September 26, 2008), (subscription access)
- BBC Radio 4 broadcast 21 April 2011 http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b010dsts