Country

:

Germany

Birth

:

May 10, 1901 in Düsseldorf, Germany

Death

:

January 12, 1975 in Vienna, Austria

Period

:

Romantic

Genre

:

Opera

 

Max Lorenz was a renowned German tenor who was born on May 10, 1901, in Düsseldorf, Germany. He was the son of a blacksmith and grew up in a working-class family. Lorenz showed an early interest in music and began singing in his church choir at a young age. He later studied at the Cologne Conservatory and made his professional debut in 1927 at the Stadttheater in Duisburg. Lorenz quickly gained a reputation as a powerful and versatile tenor, with a voice that was equally suited to the heroic roles of Wagner and the lyrical roles of Mozart. He made his debut at the Bayreuth Festival in 1929, singing the role of Froh in Wagner's "Das Rheingold." He went on to become one of the festival's most celebrated performers, singing the roles of Siegmund, Parsifal, and Tristan, among others. Lorenz's international career took off in the 1930s, and he became a regular performer at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, the Royal Opera House in London, and the Paris Opera. He was particularly renowned for his performances of Wagner's operas, and his interpretations of the roles of Tristan and Siegfried were considered definitive. One of Lorenz's most famous performances took place in 1938, when he sang the role of Siegmund in a production of "Die Walküre" at the Salzburg Festival. The performance was attended by Adolf Hitler, who was a great admirer of Wagner's music. Hitler was so impressed by Lorenz's performance that he invited him to perform at the Bayreuth Festival the following year. Lorenz's association with the Nazi regime has been the subject of much controversy. He was a member of the Nazi Party and performed at many Nazi events, including Hitler's birthday celebrations. However, Lorenz also helped many Jewish musicians and artists escape from Germany during the war, and he was known to have a close friendship with the Jewish conductor Bruno Walter. After the war, Lorenz's career suffered a setback due to his association with the Nazi regime. He was banned from performing in many countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom. However, he continued to perform in Germany and Austria, and he made a successful comeback in the 1950s. Lorenz's later career was marked by a series of acclaimed performances, including his portrayal of Tristan in a production of "Tristan und Isolde" at the Bayreuth Festival in 1952. He also sang the role of Siegfried in a historic production of "Götterdämmerung" at the Metropolitan Opera in 1951, which was the first complete performance of the Ring Cycle in the United States. Lorenz received many awards and honors throughout his career, including the title of Kammersänger from the German government in 1938. He was also awarded the Goethe Medal in 1951 and the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany in 1967. Max Lorenz died on January 11, 1975, in Salzburg, Austria, at the age of 73. He is remembered as one of the greatest Wagnerian tenors of the 20th century, and his recordings and performances continue to be admired by classical music lovers around the world.

More....