Rosa Olitzka facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rosa Olitzka
Rosa Olitzka, from a 1903 publication.
Born	September 6, 1873 Berlin
Died	September 29, 1949 Chicago
Nationality	German, American
Other names	Rosa Olitzka Sinai, Rose Olitzka
Occupation	opera singer
Years active	1890s–1920s

Rosa Olitzka (born September 6, 1873 – died September 29, 1949) was a talented opera singer. She was born in Germany and had a beautiful contralto voice. A contralto is a female singer with a very low voice range. Rosa sang at famous opera houses like the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. She performed there from 1895 to 1901. Later, she also sang with the Chicago Opera from 1910 to 1911.

Early Life and Training

Rosa Olitzka was born in Berlin, Germany. Her parents were from Poland. Her father, Joseph Olitzki, was a cantor, which is a singer who leads prayers in a synagogue. Rosa loved music from a young age. She studied singing with famous teachers. She learned from Julius Hey in Berlin and from Désirée Artôt de Padilla in Paris. She also learned to play the piano.

A Star on Stage

Rosa Olitzka began her opera career in 1892 in a city called Brno. She quickly became well-known. She sang in many important theaters across Europe. These included the Court Theatre in Hanover and the Municipal Theatre in Hamburg. She also performed at the Court Opera in Dresden.

Rosa was a regular performer at the Royal Opera House in London. This famous theater is in a place called Covent Garden. She appeared in many popular operas there. Some of these were Siegfried (1893), Orfeo ed Eurydice (1894), and Otello (1895). She also sang in Lohengrin (1895 and 1907), Faust (1895), and Tannhäuser (1895). Other roles included Die Walküre (1895, 1900, and 1907), Carmen (1897), and Aida (1905).

Singing in America

Rosa Olitzka first sang opera in the United States with the Damrosch Opera Company. She was a very important singer at the Metropolitan Opera. This is one of the most famous opera houses in the world. She sang there for six years, from 1895 to 1901.

After her time at the Met, Rosa returned to Europe. She sang in many German cities. She also performed in Brussels, Paris, and at La Scala in Milan, Italy. La Scala is another very famous opera house. From 1910 to 1911, she sang with the Chicago Opera.

In 1915, Rosa went on a concert tour. She traveled through Kansas, Arkansas, and Texas. People loved her voice! One reviewer wrote that she had a "marvelously sweet yet strong voice." They also said her voice was "perfect in a compass of three full octaves." This means she could sing very low and very high notes.

Recordings and Treasures

Rosa Olitzka made many recordings of her songs. Most of these were on the Columbia label. She even recorded duets with another soprano singer, Bernice de Pasquali.

Rosa also had a beautiful collection of jewelry. She received a special diamond pin from Queen Victoria for her performances. She also had a medal from Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany.

Personal Life

Rosa Olitzka married Boris J. Sinai in 1908. He was an insurance agent from Russia. Sadly, Boris passed away in 1919, and Rosa became a widow. She continued to live in Chicago. Rosa Olitzka died in her Chicago home in 1949. She was 76 years old.

Images for kids

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  Rosa Olitzka, from a 1903 publication.