Lilli Lehmann

print this page

Lilli Lehmann (b November 24,1848 in Würzburg, Germany; d May 17,1929 in Berlin, Germany) was a famous German soprano who originally studied with her mother, singer Marie Loewe.(3) William Steinway first met Lilli Lehmann in Berlin and was so pleased with her talent that he suggested she and Franz Rummel, the pianist, perform at the opening concert at Steinway Hall in London on October 22, 1885. This event was a great success. Lilli and William became great friends.

Lilli Lehmann made her debut in Prague in 1865. Eventually, she was under contract in Berlin. In 1885 she broke her contract with the Berlin Hofoper and came to New York's Metropolitan Opera House.(3) She sang superbly and was able to manage a repertoire from the light coloratura parts to the more dramatic roles – from Mozart and Bellini to Verdi and Wagner. (4) She appeared in London, Vienna, and Bayreuth (1896), delighting Richard Wagner.

Ms. Lehmann took part in the first New York performances of "Tristan and Isolde," "Siegfried," "The Götterdämmerung" and in 1889 the first American performance of Richard Wagner's complete Ring cycle.(5)(1)(6) As her friendship with William Steinway grew, they visited, dined together (sometimes at his home) and she sang occasionally at concerts organized by William.(Diary,1886-02-03, 1886-03-08,1888-04-22) When Lilli decided to marry Paul Kalisch, a famous German tenor, William quietly arranged their wedding with Rev. Krusi. The newspapers were "full of Lehmann marriage connecting my name as advisor with it."(Diary, 1888-02-26) William and his family attended and enjoyed many of Lilli's performances from 1885 through 1890.(Diary, 1887-12-12, 1890-02-09) In 1891 she returned to Berlin. Her final season at the Met was 1898-99. She sang at the Salzburg Festival between 1901-1910.(3) A gifted voice teacher since 1891, Lilli Lehman wrote and published a singing manual How to Sing in 1902.(2)

[cfl]

Sources:

  1. "Amusements, 'Die Götterdämmerung,' " The New York Times, February 4, 1888, p.4.
  2. Lehmann, Lilli, How to Sing, translated from the German by Richard Aldrich, New York: The Macmillan Company, 1902, 3rd edition, 1924, republished, Mineola, N,Y.:Dover, 1993.
  3. "Lilli Lehmann," New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 2nd Edition, Vol. 14. New York: The Macmillian Company, 2001, p. 495.
  4. "Opera in German," Musical Courier, January 25, 1888, p. 56
  5. "Opera in German, First Production in America of Wagner's 'Die Götterdämmerung,' the Götterdämmerung,' The Greatest Success," Musical Courier, February 1, 1888, p. 93
  6. "Siegfried A Big Success," Musical Courier, November 16, 1887, pp. 318- 321