Lotte Lehmann facts for kids
Charlotte "Lotte" Pauline Sophie Lehmann (born February 27, 1888 – died August 26, 1976) was a famous German-American singer. She was known as a lyric soprano, which means she had a beautiful, clear voice perfect for opera. Lotte Lehmann performed in many important opera houses around the world. She was also a great recital singer and a dedicated teacher.
She was especially famous for her roles in operas by Richard Strauss, Richard Wagner, and Ludwig van Beethoven. Her most well-known roles included the Marschallin in Der Rosenkavalier, Sieglinde in Die Walküre, and the main character in Fidelio. During her long career, Lehmann made almost 500 recordings of opera songs and classical art songs.
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Her Life and Amazing Career
Lotte Lehmann was born in Perleberg, a town in Germany. She first tried to study music in Berlin but didn't have much success. Then, she found a teacher named Mathilde Mallinger. Within a year and a half, Mathilde helped Lotte develop her voice. This allowed Lotte to get her first singing job at the Hamburg Opera in 1910.
At first, she sang smaller roles. But by her third year, she was singing important parts like Agathe in Der Freischütz. Her big chance came when another singer couldn't perform Elsa in Lohengrin. Lotte stepped in and became a success! A young conductor, Otto Klemperer, helped her prepare for the role.
In 1913, the director of the Vienna Court Opera heard Lotte sing and offered her a contract. She joined the Vienna Court Opera (which later became the Vienna State Opera) in 1916. She quickly became one of their brightest stars.
Creating New Roles
Lotte Lehmann was special because she helped create new characters in several operas by Richard Strauss. She sang in the very first performances of the Composer in Ariadne auf Naxos (1916), the Dyer's Wife in Die Frau ohne Schatten (1919), and Christine in Intermezzo (1924). She also sang in the Vienna premiere of Arabella.
In the famous opera Der Rosenkavalier, Lotte Lehmann made history. She was the first singer ever to perform all three main female roles: Sophie, Octavian, and later, the Marschallin.
Other Famous Roles
At the Vienna State Opera, Lotte also sang many roles in operas by Giacomo Puccini. These included the main characters in Tosca, Madama Butterfly, and Mimi in La bohème. Over 21 years with the company, she sang more than 50 different roles!
She also performed in London, starting in 1914. From 1924 to 1935, she regularly sang at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. She was a regular at the Salzburg Festival from 1926 to 1937, working with famous conductors like Arturo Toscanini and Bruno Walter.
Discovering the Trapp Family
In 1936, while in Salzburg, Lotte Lehmann discovered the Trapp Family Singers. You might know them from the musical The Sound of Music! Lotte heard them singing in their garden and was so impressed. She told them they had "gold in their throats" and convinced them to enter a singing contest. This led to their very first public performance.
Moving to America
In 1930, Lotte Lehmann made her first appearance in the United States, singing in Chicago. She came back to the U.S. every year after that. In 1934, she made her debut at the famous Metropolitan Opera in New York.
Before Germany took over Austria in 1938, Lotte Lehmann moved to the United States. She continued to sing at the Metropolitan Opera until 1945 and the San Francisco Opera until 1946.
Besides opera, Lotte was also a celebrated singer of lieder, which are German art songs. She gave many recitals throughout her career. She worked closely with pianist Paul Ulanowsky for many years.
Lotte Lehmann even acted in a movie! She played the mother of Danny Thomas in the 1948 film Big City.
Teaching and Writing
After she stopped performing in 1951, Lotte Lehmann became a dedicated teacher. She taught special master classes at the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara, California, which she helped start in 1947. She also taught in New York City, Chicago, London, and Vienna. Many of her students became very successful singers themselves.
Lotte Lehmann was also a talented writer. She published books of poems, a novel called Orplid, mein Land, and several books about her life and how to interpret songs and opera roles.
She was also a painter, especially after she retired. She even created a series of 24 paintings for each song in Schubert's Winterreise.
Lotte Lehmann passed away in 1976 at the age of 88 in Santa Barbara, California. She is buried in Vienna, Austria. Her headstone has a quote from Richard Strauss that says, "She sang such that it moved the stars."
Her Personal Life
In 1926, Lotte Lehmann married Otto Krause, who had been an officer in the Austrian army. They did not have any children together. Otto passed away in 1939. Lotte never remarried.
After her husband's death, Lotte Lehmann shared a home with Frances Holden, a psychologist. They named their house "Orplid" after a dream island from a famous German song.
Her Legacy and Impact
Lotte Lehmann left a lasting mark on the world of music:
- She helped create the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara, California. There is a hall named after her there.
- The Lotte Lehmann Concert Hall at the University of California, Santa Barbara is also named in her honor. She taught many classes there.
- The UCSB Library has a special collection of her recordings, papers, and photos.
- Other collections of her work are kept at Stanford University and the University of Missouri-Kansas City.
- The Austrian Theatre Museum in Vienna has a large collection of her recordings, letters, and photos.
- The Lotte Lehmann Foundation was created in 1995 to keep her memory alive and share classical art songs with more people.
- In her hometown of Perleberg, Germany, the Lotte Lehmann Akademie was started in 2009. It's a summer program for young opera singers.
Honors and Awards
Lotte Lehmann received many important honors during her life:
- In 1926, she was given the title of Kammersängerin, a special honor for singers.
- In 1928, she became an Honorary Member of the Vienna State Opera.
- The King of Sweden gave her the golden medal Literis et Artibus in 1929.
- France made her an Officer of the Légion d’honneur in 1931.
- She received the Honor Ring of the City of Vienna in 1962.
- Germany awarded her the Great German Service Cross in 1964.
- Salzburg gave her the Great Silver Medal of the City of Salzburg in 1969.
See also
In Spanish: Lotte Lehmann para niños
