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Born: June 10, 1904 - Stettin, Germany
Died: October 17, 1984 - New York City, New York, USA |
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The German bass-baritone, Frederick Lechner, received his training in Berlin.
Frederick Lechner made his debut in 1929 at the Stadttheater of Rostock. In 1933 he was engaged at the Deutsche Opernhaus Berlin, however as a Jew he could not begin this engagement due to the political development. Whereupon he sang from 1933 to 1936 in performances of operas, which the Jüdische Kulturbund (Jewish Culture Federation) in Berlin organized, and which were conducted by Jospeh Rosenstock. He performed roles as Zaccaria in Verdi’s Nabucco, the Count in Le Nozze di Figaro and four Dämonen in Hoffmanns Erzaehlungen.
In 1936 Frederick Lechner emigrated to the USA. First he appeared there as a concert singer, and was in the years 1936-1972 Kantor at the central synagogue in New York Manhattan. In 1943 he was accepted to the Metropolitan Opera in New York, to whose ensemble he belonged until 1948. There he sang roles as Marchese de Calatrava in Verdi’s La forza del destino, Alberich in Der Ring des Nibelungen and Faninal in Rosenkavalier. In 1946 he made guest appearance at the Teatro Colón Buenos Aires as Beckmesser in Meistersingern. Apart from his affecting performances on the stage, he had also a second, very important career as a concert singer, above all as an interpreter of Jewish sacred vocal music.
Recordings: On RCA Victor Jewish songs were published. Also some recordings on HMV and Concert Hall. |
