Anna Grobecker by Löwy

Anna Grobecker, born Anna Mejo (1829-1908); German mezzosoprano.

She was a daughter of the singers Franz Mejo (1798-1855) and Rosa Mejo-Straub (1798-?), who had seven children. They all -including the famous opera singer Jenny Mejo (1841-1906)- chose for a stage career. At the age of seventeen she made her debut at Magdeburg. She then went to Berlin where she continued her singing studies and became a great succes. She married the famous actor Philipp Grobecker (1815-1883), with whom she undertook a major tour in 1856. In the same year she gave a guest performance at the Vienna Carl-theater, where she soon had the same triumphs such as in Berlin. She was admired especially in the operettas of Jacques Offenbach and one can say she in the first place was responsible for their great succes in Vienna. With her performance as Catherine in the German premiere of Offenbach's operetta "Le mariage aux Lanternes" ("The wedding by lantern-light") at the Carl-theater began the new tradition of operetta in Vienna. In 1860 she was the "Public opinion" at the same House in Offenbach's "Orphée aux Enfers" ("Orpheus in the underworld "). In 1861 she sang there in "La chanson de Fortunio" ("The song of Fortunio") and in1867 as Gabriele in "La Vie parisienne" ("Parisian life"), both by Offenbach. In1862 at the Kai-Theater in Vienna she sang at the premiere of Franz von Suppé's "Zehn Mädchen und kein Mann" and in 1863 at the same theatre she created the role of Frinke in the première of "Flotte Bursche" by the same compoer. In1865 at the Meysels Theater in Berlin she created the role of Ganymed in von Suppé's "Die schöne Galathee".

In 1869 Jacques Offenbach invited her to come to Paris and there she was very succesful in his operettas. During the seasons 1869-1871 she again was engaged at the Carl-Theater in Vienna. She then had the intention of changing her career by devoting herself to opera in stead of operetta. Unfortunately this never has been realized. Since 1874 she no longer appeared on the stage and lived alternately in Italy and on her estate Althofen in Carinthia. She worked also as a writer and wrote among others lyrical poems.