Erna Berger facts for kids
Erna Berger (born October 19, 1900 – died June 14, 1990) was a famous German singer. She was a lyric coloratura soprano, which means she had a very high and clear voice that could sing fast, tricky notes. She was especially known for her roles as the Queen of the Night in The Magic Flute and Konstanze in Die Entführung aus dem Serail.
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Her Amazing Career
Erna Berger was born in Dresden, Germany. When she was a child, she lived for some years in India and South America. She later returned to these places as an adult, working as a clerk and a piano teacher. She saved enough money to travel back to Germany.
When she was 26, Erna got a job as a soubrette soprano at the Semperoper opera house in Dresden. A soubrette soprano is a singer who plays lively, often mischievous, female characters. She became famous after singing the role of Hannele in the opera Hanneles Himmelfahrt.
Later, Erna sang in important opera houses like the Vienna State Opera and the Berlin State Opera. She also performed concerts in Japan, the United States, and Australia.
Famous Recordings
Erna Berger made many recordings. She sang the Queen of the Night in a full recording of Die Zauberflöte in 1937–38. She also recorded Rigoletto in 1950. This was one of the first full opera recordings released on the new LP format in the United States.
Erna Berger was a member of the Berlin State Opera from 1934 to 1946. During this time, she was listed on a special list called 'God's Gifted List' by the government. This list recognized artists who were considered very important to the country.
Performing in America
Erna Berger sang at the famous Metropolitan Opera in New York City during the 1949/50 and 1950/51 seasons. She performed in many operas there, including Der Rosenkavalier, Rigoletto, Die Zauberflöte, and Il barbiere di Siviglia. She also sang smaller but important roles in Der Ring des Nibelungen, a very long opera series.
In 1954, she sang the role of Zerlina in Don Giovanni at the Salzburg Festival. This performance was even filmed and later released on DVD! Erna also loved singing Lieder, which are German art songs. She often performed these with the pianist Sebastian Peschko.
Later Years and Legacy
Even as Erna Berger got older, her voice stayed clear, strong, and beautiful. She stopped performing in operas in 1955, but she kept singing in concerts until she was over 60 years old. Her last concert was in Munich in 1968. In 1980, when she turned 80, she even sang live on German television, showing her amazing talent.
From 1960 to 1971, Erna Berger taught singing in Hamburg and Essen. Other musicians respected her greatly. A famous conductor, Wilhelm Furtwängler, once said about her: "She is music, through and through…the best."
Erna Berger passed away in Essen in 1990, at the age of 89. She was buried in Vienna. In 1992, a street in Dresden was renamed Erna-Berger-Straße to honor her.
Selected Filmography
- Schlußakkord (1936)
- Ave Maria (1936, a movie version of La traviata)
- Maria Ilona (1939)
- Opera Ball (1939, she sang in this movie)
- Falstaff in Vienna (1940)
- The Swedish Nightingale (1941, she sang in this movie)
- Whom the Gods Love (1942)
- Immensee (1943, she sang in this movie)
- The Marriage of Figaro (1949, she sang for the character Susanna)
- Don Giovanni (1955, she played Zerlina in this filmed version)
See also
In Spanish: Erna Berger para niños
