Opera's Golden Age In Postcards

as Kundry and Parsifal in "PARSIFAL" by Richard Wagner Martha Leffler-Burckhard 1865-1954 German Soprano Studied with Anna von Meichsner in Berlin and Pauline Viardot in paris.Debut 1888 at Strasbourg . Began her career as a coloratura soprano but soon turned to the dramatic soprano repertoire .Performed leading roles throughout Germany , New York Metropolitan , Covent Garden London Walther Kirchoff 1879-1951 German Tenor Studied with Robert Weiss and Lilli Lehmann in Berlin.Debut Imperial Opera Berlin in 1906 as Faust . Remained at the Berlin Imperial Opera until 1920.He sang leading roles at Bayreuth, Covent Garden london , Buenos Aires and Metropolitan New York years

Kirschoff as Max "Der Freischütz " by Carl Maria von Weber Walther Kirchoff 1879-1951 German Tenor Studied with Robert Weiss and Lilli Lehmann in Berlin.Debut Imperial Opera Berlin in 1906 as Faust . Remained at the Berlin Imperial Opera until 1920.He sang leading roles at Bayreuth, Covent Garden london , Buenos Aires and Metropolitan New York years

Merz as Elizabeth in "Tannhauser" by Richard Wagner Nellie Merz 1887-1968 German Soprano Studied at Dr Hoch's Conservatory in frankfurt , further studied in Geneva and Milan. Debut at Stadtheatre Krefeld. Engaged by the Deutsche opera Berlin where she remained and sang leading roles for 30 Years.

Walter Hyde 1875-1951 English Tenor Studied at College of Music under Gustave Garcia and Walter Parratt, His early professional career was in musical comedy, Percy Pitt then recruited him to sing Siegmund in the 1908 English language Ring cycles at Covent Garden, Worked regularly at Covent Garden until 1923. , He worked extensively with Beecham's company, and in the twenties became a director of BNOC, continuing to sing with them until they folded.He sang Siegmund at the New York Met, After Siegmund, his most notable Wagnerian role was probably Parsifal.He later became Professor of Singing at the Guildhall School of Music, where his students included John Heddle Nash and Eric Shilling.

as Olga & Michael in "IVAN THE TERRIBLE" by Sergei Prokofiev Jeanne Brola (Jean Lane Brooks) 1871-1956 American soprano. She reached operatic fame in the early 1900s when she appeared at Italy's La Scala Opera House and London's Covent Garden. She also appeared in Vienna and Berlin During the First World War she was a leading member of the Quinlan and Beecham companies, featuring on the world tour made by Quinlan. In 1919 and 1920 she appeared at Covent Garden, as Tosca, Giorgetta and Lauretta. Roles sung elsewhere included Aïda, Nedda, Desdemona, Marguerite, Manon, Mimì, Freia, Gutrune and Eva. Walter Hyde 1875-1951 English Tenor Studied at College of Music under Gustave Garcia and Walter Parratt, His early professional career was in musical comedy, Percy Pitt then recruited him to sing Siegmund in the 1908 English language Ring cycles at Covent Garden, Worked regularly at Covent Garden until 1923. , He worked extensively with Beecham's company, and in the twenties became a director of BNOC, continuing to sing with them until they folded.He sang Siegmund at the New York Met, After Siegmund, his most notable Wagnerian role was probably Parsifal.He later became Professor of Singing at the Guildhall School of Music, where his students included John Heddle Nash and Eric Shilling. .

Buckman as Aida "AIDA" Giuseppe Verdi Rosina Buckman 1881-1948 New Zealand/Australian Soprano She studied in Britain, at the Birmingham School of Music and made her debut in 1906, back in Wellington as Zara in A Moorish Maid (Alfred Hill). She worked in Australia from 1909, joining Melba's company in 1911. Returning to the UK, she made her debut at Covent Garden in 1914 as a Flower Maiden, followed by Musetta. She joined Beecham's operation the following year, with a repertoire that extended to include Butterfly, Aïda and Isolde. In 1923 she worked with BNOC.

as Aida and Amneris "AIDA" Giuseppe Verdi Rosina Buckman 1881-1948 New Zealand/Australian Soprano She studied in Britain, at the Birmingham School of Music and made her debut in 1906, back in Wellington as Zara in A Moorish Maid (Alfred Hill). She worked in Australia from 1909, joining Melba's company in 1911. Returning to the UK, she made her debut at Covent Garden in 1914 as a Flower Maiden, followed by Musetta. She joined Beecham's operation the following year, with a repertoire that extended to include Butterfly, Aïda and Isolde. In 1923 she worked with BNOC. Edna Thornton 1875-1964 English Contralto She worked at Covent Garden from 1905 to 1910, appearing in the Ring cycles of 1908 and 1909. These were conducted by Karl Richter, and her roles were Erda and Waltraute. She toured with the Quinlan and Beecham companies, returning to Covent Garden between 1919 and 1923. After the BNOC was established she worked with it extensively. Other roles in her repertoire for which she was noted included Dalila and Amneris as well as Brangäne. She also appeared in the premiere of Holst's comic opera The Perfect Fool at Covent Garden in 1923.

Edna Thornton 1875-1964 English Contralto She worked at Covent Garden from 1905 to 1910, appearing in the Ring cycles of 1908 and 1909. These were conducted by Karl Richter, and her roles were Erda and Waltraute. She toured with the Quinlan and Beecham companies, returning to Covent Garden between 1919 and 1923. After the BNOC was established she worked with it extensively. Other roles in her repertoire for which she was noted included Dalila and Amneris as well as Brangäne. She also appeared in the premiere of Holst's comic opera The Perfect Fool at Covent Garden in 1923.

Edna Thornton 1875-1964 English Contralto She worked at Covent Garden from 1905 to 1910, appearing in the Ring cycles of 1908 and 1909. These were conducted by Karl Richter, and her roles were Erda and Waltraute. She toured with the Quinlan and Beecham companies, returning to Covent Garden between 1919 and 1923. After the BNOC was established she worked with it extensively. Other roles in her repertoire for which she was noted included Dalila and Amneris as well as Brangäne. She also appeared in the premiere of Holst's comic opera The Perfect Fool at Covent Garden in 1923.

Allen as Ramphis "AIDA" Giuseppe Verdi Norman Allin 1884-1973 English Bass He studied at the Royal Manchester College of Music 1906-10, and switched from teaching to singing in 1912. His solo debut came in 1916 with the Beecham company as the Hebrew Elder.Sang principal roles such as Méphistophélès. His Wagner roles included King Mark, Hunding, Hagen and Gurnemanz, and his Russian repertoire Dosifei and Konchak (for his debut at Covent Garden in 1919). With the BNOC throughout its activity from 1922 to 1929 singing several of his Verdi and Wagner roles and was also a director of the company. He sang Bartolo in Le nozze di Figaro in the opening season at Glyndebourne in 1934, . From 1942 he sang with Carl Rosa until he retired from singing in 1949. As a teacher in London, he was a professor at the Royal Academy of Music from 1935 to 1960. He also taught at his old college in Manchester from 1938 to 1942.

1865-1952 American Soprano Born in Shanghai, China.She attended school in Boston where she studied singing with Charles R. Adams.Later she took voice lessons in Paris Mathilde Marchesi. Eames made her professional operatic debut in Gounod's Roméo et Juliette at Palais Garnier Paris in 1889. Towards the end of 1891, debuted at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City in Juliette, . Eames made a number of successful appearances at London's Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. She sang there intermittently from 1891 to 1901 and established herself as a genuine rival to Covent Garden's reigning diva, Nellie Melba, . Eames also sang in Madrid and fulfilled lucrative singing engagements at Monaco's chic Monte Carlo Opera during the 1890s. In 1906, Eames visited San Francisco with a touring troupe of leading Met singers. Eames gave her farewell operatic performances during the 1911-12 seasons with the Boston opera company. She then undertook a series of concert tours of the United States

Eames as Elsa "Lohengrin" Richard Wagner 1865-1952 American Soprano Born in Shanghai, China.She attended school in Boston where she studied singing with Charles R. Adams.Later she took voice lessons in Paris Mathilde Marchesi. Eames made her professional operatic debut in Gounod's Roméo et Juliette at Palais Garnier Paris in 1889. Towards the end of 1891, debuted at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City in Juliette, . Eames made a number of successful appearances at London's Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. She sang there intermittently from 1891 to 1901 and established herself as a genuine rival to Covent Garden's reigning diva, Nellie Melba, . Eames also sang in Madrid and fulfilled lucrative singing engagements at Monaco's chic Monte Carlo Opera during the 1890s. In 1906, Eames visited San Francisco with a touring troupe of leading Met singers. Eames gave her farewell operatic performances during the 1911-12 seasons with the Boston opera company. She then undertook a series of concert tours of the United States

1865-1952 American Soprano Born in Shanghai, China.She attended school in Boston where she studied singing with Charles R. Adams.Later she took voice lessons in Paris Mathilde Marchesi. Eames made her professional operatic debut in Gounod's Roméo et Juliette at Palais Garnier Paris in 1889. Towards the end of 1891, debuted at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City in Juliette, . Eames made a number of successful appearances at London's Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. She sang there intermittently from 1891 to 1901 and established herself as a genuine rival to Covent Garden's reigning diva, Nellie Melba, . Eames also sang in Madrid and fulfilled lucrative singing engagements at Monaco's chic Monte Carlo Opera during the 1890s. In 1906, Eames visited San Francisco with a touring troupe of leading Met singers. Eames gave her farewell operatic performances during the 1911-12 seasons with the Boston opera company. She then undertook a series of concert tours of the United States

1865-1952 American Soprano Born in Shanghai, China.She attended school in Boston where she studied singing with Charles R. Adams.Later she took voice lessons in Paris Mathilde Marchesi. Eames made her professional operatic debut in Gounod's Roméo et Juliette at Palais Garnier Paris in 1889. Towards the end of 1891, debuted at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City in Juliette, . Eames made a number of successful appearances at London's Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. She sang there intermittently from 1891 to 1901 and established herself as a genuine rival to Covent Garden's reigning diva, Nellie Melba, . Eames also sang in Madrid and fulfilled lucrative singing engagements at Monaco's chic Monte Carlo Opera during the 1890s. In 1906, Eames visited San Francisco with a touring troupe of leading Met singers. Eames gave her farewell operatic performances during the 1911-12 seasons with the Boston opera company. She then undertook a series of concert tours of the United States

1865-1952 American Soprano Born in Shanghai, China.She attended school in Boston where she studied singing with Charles R. Adams.Later she took voice lessons in Paris Mathilde Marchesi. Eames made her professional operatic debut in Gounod's Roméo et Juliette at Palais Garnier Paris in 1889. Towards the end of 1891, debuted at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City in Juliette, . Eames made a number of successful appearances at London's Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. She sang there intermittently from 1891 to 1901 and established herself as a genuine rival to Covent Garden's reigning diva, Nellie Melba, . Eames also sang in Madrid and fulfilled lucrative singing engagements at Monaco's chic Monte Carlo Opera during the 1890s. In 1906, Eames visited San Francisco with a touring troupe of leading Met singers. Eames gave her farewell operatic performances during the 1911-12 seasons with the Boston opera company. She then undertook a series of concert tours of the United States

Eames as Marguerite "Faust" Gounod Emma Eames 1865-1952 American Soprano Born in Shanghai, China.She attended school in Boston where she studied singing with Charles R. Adams.Later she took voice lessons in Paris Mathilde Marchesi. Eames made her professional operatic debut in Gounod's Roméo et Juliette at Palais Garnier Paris in 1889. Towards the end of 1891, debuted at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City in Juliette, . Eames made a number of successful appearances at London's Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. She sang there intermittently from 1891 to 1901 and established herself as a genuine rival to Covent Garden's reigning diva, Nellie Melba, . Eames also sang in Madrid and fulfilled lucrative singing engagements at Monaco's chic Monte Carlo Opera during the 1890s. In 1906, Eames visited San Francisco with a touring troupe of leading Met singers. Eames gave her farewell operatic performances during the 1911-12 seasons with the Boston opera company. She then undertook a series of concert tours of the United States

Alma Gluck 1884-1938 American Soprano Born in Roumania , immigrated to US as a child and grew up in New York ,Studied sing with Arturo Buzzi_Peccia . Debut at the New theatre with the Metropolitan Company as Sophie in Werther. Left the Metropolitan and Opera for further study with Marcella Sembrich , Re-emerged in Concert at Carnegie Hall in 1914

Emilio Sagi-Barba 1875-1949 Spanish Baritone Sang only rarely in opera but he was one of the leading Zarzuela singers of his day