Lola Beeth

Lola Beeth
Lola Beeth
Background information
Born	23 November 1861; Kraków
Died	18 March 1940 (aged 78); Berlin
Occupation	operatic soprano

Lola Beeth (23 November 1861 – 18 March 1940) was an Austrian operatic soprano, born in Kraków.

Biography

Lola Beeth was born on 23 November 1861 in Kraków.^[1] She started training as a singer in Lviv, then continued her education with Luise Meyer-Dustmann in Vienna.^[1] She also studied in Paris, Milan, and Berlin.^[1]

Beeth was based in Vienna for much of her career. She debuted as "Elsa" in Lohengrin at the Metropolitan Opera House, on 2 December 1895. She was a member of the Vienna Opera Company who had previous experience singing in Berlin and Paris. As early as the summer of 1892, Beeth appeared at the Vienna Court Opera as Juliet in a production of Gounod's Roméo et Juliette.^[2]

Her New York City performance was hampered by nervousness^[3] and having never sung the role in the Italian.^[4] Beeth sang an aria from La Juive (The Jewess) at the Metropolitan Opera House on 11 January 1896.^[5]

Lola Beeth in Der Trompeter von Säckingen, 1893

Beeth was named as a favorite pupil by Mathilde Marchesi, who tutored her in singing in Paris. After the release of her book, Marchesi and Music, Marchesi planned to visit the United States, but her intended tour was canceled.^[6] Beeth died in 1940, in Berlin, aged 78.^[1]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Hilscher, Elisabeth Th. (2002). "Beeth, Lola". Oesterreichisches Musiklexikon online (in German). Retrieved 24 August 2021.
^ "Live Musical Topics", New York Times, 12 June 1892, pg. 12.
^ "The Opera" The Sketch (17 June 1896): 299.
^ "'Lohengrin' at the Opera", New York Times, 3 December 1895, pg. 4.
^ "Notes of Music", New York Times, 12 January 1896, pg. 12.
^ "The Book of the Week", New York Times, 4 December 1897, pg. BR2.