Karl Formes by Unknown

KARL FORMES
(Karl Johann Franz Formes)
(b. Mülheim am Rhein, 7 August 1815; d. San Francisco, 15 December 1889)
German Bass
debut in 1842 at the Cologne Opera as Sarastro in Die Zauberflöte. Until 1844 he remained in Cologne, 1844-45 was engaged at the Mannheim court theater and went from there in breach of his contract in 1845 at the Vienna Court Opera (in theaters on Kärntnertor). On 11.25.1847 he sang at the Theater am Kärntnertor in Vienna the Plumkett in the world premiere of the opera 'Martha' by Friedrich von Flotow. active 1848-49 at the Deutsche Oper in Amsterdam. In 1849 he guested at the Drury Lane Theatre London as Sarastro, 1850 at the Covent Garden Opera as Kaspar in the 'Freischütz'. Until 1862 he was often to be found at the Covent Garden Opera, where he in the world premiere of a new version of the Opera 'Faust' by Louis Spohr and 1855 in the British premiere of Meyerbeer's 'Étoile du Nord' also took part in 1852. In 1852 he undertook guest performances in Italy and Spain. In 1853 he sang as guest at the Berlin Court Opera, the Marcel in the 'Huguenots', Kaspar in the 'Freischütz' and Sarastro in Die Zauberflöte. In 1854 he gave guest performances in Cologne, Wiesbaden and Hamburg, in the following years in Coburg, Weimar, Danzig, Königsberg (East Prussia) and Magdeburg, 1861 in Rostock and Schwerin, 1867 in Leipzig. In 1857 he came to Nodamerika where he 1864-67 guest performances and concerts in New York and in other American cities had over the years and occurred at the Opera of Havana for the first time.