Otto Briesemeister
Briesemeister was a medical doctor for a short time before deciding to become a tenor. After studies in Leipzig, he sang only in concert at the beginning. His first operatic contract started in 1893 in Dessau (debut as Manrico), 1894 he went to Aachen, 1895 to Wrocław/Breslau, where he stayed until 1900. By then, he was famous enough to go on as a freelance artist: his Loge in Bayreuth 1899 had caused a sensation (he was to repeat that role at the festival every year through 1909). He settled in Berlin, where he practiced as an ENT physician, and pursued his tenor career, centered around the Court Operas of Stuttgart, Vienna, Munich and Mannheim and the German Theater in Prague, but with many other guest appearances: Covent Garden, Zürich, Stockholm, Dresden, Leipzig, Berlin, Lyon, Hamburg, Bremen, Karlsruhe... Loge was clearly his most famous role, but his repertory was wide: Siegmund, Siegfried, Erik, Lohengrin, Max, Pedro, José, Fra Diavolo, Wilhelm Meister, Faust, Canio, Herodes, Matthias (Evangelimann), Florestan; plus a lot of sacred music in concert. He died from diphtheria. Reference: Kutsch & Riemens I wish to thank Richard J Venezia for the recording (Walküre).
G&T, Bayreuth, July 1904
1116e Das Rheingold: Immer ist Undank 2-42920
1130c Das Rheingold: Wer hälfe mir? (w. Hans Breuer) 2-42922
Edison cylinders, Berlin, about December 1905
15401 Frühlingsglaube (Schubert) 15401
15407 Frühlingstraum (Schubert) 15407
Anker, Berlin, about December 1906
1177-3 Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg: Am stillen Herd 5467
1178-3 Die Walküre: Winterstürme 5468, 434
1179-3 Der fliegende Holländer: Steuermannslied 5469
1180-3 Lohengrin: Mein lieber Schwan 5470
Beka, Berlin, June 1907
11225 Das Rheingold: Immer ist Undank I 11225
11226 Das Rheingold: Immer ist Undank II 11226
11227 Siegfried: Schmiede, mein Hammer 11227
11228 Lohengrin: Höchstes Vertrauen 11228
11229 Die Walküre: Winterstürme 11229
11236 Lohengrin: Das süße Lied (w. Margarete König) 11236
11237 Il trovatore: In uns're Heimat 11237
(w. Margarete König)
11239 Fra Diavolo: Erblickt auf Felsenhöhen 11239
(w. Margarete König)
11240 Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg: Am stillen Herd 11240
Anker, Berlin, November 1907
1907 Das Rheingold: Immer ist Undank I 5038, 706
1908 Das Rheingold: Immer ist Undank II 5039, 706
1909 Siegfried: Nothung! Nothung! 5040, 707
1910 Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg: Am stillen Herd 434
Odeon, Berlin, November 1907
xB3464 Siegfried: Nothung! Nothung! X 64774
xB3465 Das Rheingold: Immer ist Undank I X 64787
xB3466 Das Rheingold: Immer ist Undank II X 64788
xB3467 Das Rheingold: Über Stock und Stein X 64775
xB3468 Die Walküre: Winterstürme X 64776
Odeon, Berlin, December 1907
xB3524 Die Walküre: Siegmund heiß' ich X 64803
Anker, Berlin, December 1907
1940 Tristan und Isolde: Wohin nun Tristan scheidet 5041, 707
Edison cylinders, Berlin, about February 1908
15860 Frühlingsfahrt (Schumann) 15860
Source for the discography: Gesellschaft für historische Tonträger, Wien |