Country

:

Austria

Birth

:

June 13, 1885 in Merseburg, Germany

Death

:

April 23, 1952 in New York City, NY

Genre

:

Opera

 

 

Vocal

 

Elisabeth Schumann was a German soprano who was born on June 13, 1888, in Merseburg, Germany. She was the daughter of a music teacher and began her musical training at a young age. She studied piano, violin, and voice, and by the age of 16, she was already performing in public. Schumann's career began to take off in the early 1900s when she began performing in opera houses throughout Germany. She quickly gained a reputation as a talented soprano with a beautiful voice and a natural stage presence. In 1911, she made her debut at the Royal Opera House in London, where she received critical acclaim for her performance in Mozart's "The Marriage of Figaro." Over the next few years, Schumann continued to perform in opera houses throughout Europe, including the Vienna State Opera and the Metropolitan Opera in New York. She also began to perform in recitals, where she became known for her interpretations of German lieder. One of Schumann's most notable performances was in 1919 when she sang the role of Sophie in Richard Strauss's "Der Rosenkavalier" at the Metropolitan Opera. Her performance was so well-received that she was invited back to the Met for several more seasons. In addition to her opera and recital performances, Schumann also made several recordings throughout her career. Her recordings of Schubert's "Ave Maria" and Brahms's "Wiegenlied" are still considered some of the best interpretations of those pieces. Schumann's career continued to flourish throughout the 1920s and 1930s, but it was cut short by the outbreak of World War II. She was forced to flee Germany in 1939 and eventually settled in the United States. Despite her age and declining health, she continued to perform in recitals and concerts until her death in New York City on April 23, 1952. Throughout her career, Schumann received numerous awards and honors for her contributions to classical music. In 1930, she was awarded the title of Kammersängerin by the German government, which is the highest honor that can be bestowed upon a singer in Germany. She was also awarded the Légion d'honneur by the French government in 1937. Today, Schumann is remembered as one of the greatest sopranos of the 20th century. Her beautiful voice and natural stage presence continue to inspire musicians and music lovers around the world.

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