Richard Mayr

Richard Mayr ( born October 18, 1877 in Salzburg, † December 1, 1935 in Vienna ) was an Austrian singer ( bassist ) of classical music.

Life and work

After his visit to the Academic Gymnasium in Salzburg Richard Mayr began in 1897 initially to study medicine. Through active participation in the social student life and after he became in 1897 a member of the Vienna Academic fraternity Libertas, but he was already while studying a keen interest in artistic events and classical singing. Just one year later, after an acclaimed first public appearance in the " beer opera" " Dalibor and Boehme " by Franz Pawlikowski, , Mayr decided to abandon his medical studies and began first in Vienna his vocal studies and led it from 1901 to Julius Kniese in its voice training school continued in Bayreuth. On July 28, 1902 his first opera appearance was as " Hagen " in Wagner's opera Götterdämmerung at the Bayreuth Festival.

In the following years, his career now took a steep gradient. In 1902 he was on k.k. " Obliged Court Opera ", today's Vienna State Opera and finished in the first year 16 operatic roles. In 1905 they appointed him to the chamber singers. With the role of the Barons " Ochs Lerchenau " in the opera Der Rosenkavalier by Richard Strauss, he shone at the premiere in 1911 and later in 1924 at the Covent Garden Opera in London, which was the prelude to his international career. Between 1906 and 1934 he took over with only a few exceptions regular engagements at the Bayreuth and Salzburg Festival as well as numerous guest appearances in prestigious European opera houses. With its debut on November 2, 1927 with the role of the goldsmith " Veit Pogner " from Wagner's opera Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg at the Metropolitan Opera in New York Mayr began a series of successful guest appearances in the USA.

On September 23, 1934, he completed a vocal outdoor use during the opening of the Grossglockner High Alpine Road and the Edelweiss Peak Scenic road. But only a year later he joined illness in retirement and died at only 58 years on 1 December 1935.

Richard Mayr was a highly prolific singer. From a total of 95 different operatic roles the characters of the " ox Lerchenau " with 149, the Pogner with 138, were the " Landgraf Hermann" from Wagner's Tannhäuser with 123 and with the "King brand" from Wagner's Tristan und Isolde with 101 appearances by him most frequently embodied roles. He represented his characters with a him own and novel characteristic and a psychological depth, especially where the comedy was to link with the tragic.

Together with his brother, the costume makers Carl Mayr, he maintained contact with the Henndorfer circle, a literary artist circle around Zuckmayer in his hometown Henndorf near Salzburg. His niece Maria Mayr married the brewing and building contractors of Gustav Kapsreiter and became known as the patron of the arts a name. Richard Mayr was married to actress Marie Berthe thinking and was buried in the family vault at the Salzburg St. Peter's Cemetery. His extensive estate was transferred to each half at the International Mozarteum Foundation Salzburg and to the Museum Carolino Augusteum.

Honors

For his merits Richard Mayr the Vienna State Opera, the International Mozarteum Foundation and the Vienna Academic Choral Society was named an honorary member. In addition, he received:

  • The appointment of the chamber choir ( 1905)
  • Appointment as an honorary citizen of the city of Salzburg ( 1927)
  • The Decoration for Services to the Republic of Austria in Gold and Silver
  • The appointment of a Knight of the French Legion of Honor ( Chevalier de la Légion d' Honneur ) ( 1928)
  • The Honorary Ring of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra (1929 )
  • Gustav Vasa Order of 1st class (1929 )
  • The Commander's Cross 1st class of the Decoration for Services to the Republic of Austria (1935 )

Discography (selection)

  • Requiem, K. 626 Requiem; Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus. - Recording in 1931; New recording in Hamburg: Line Music ( soundtrack)
  • La traviata (Verdi) - Dir: Franz Welser- Möst: Richard Mayr ( Marquis D' Obigny ); Zurich Opera House, Low 1920; New recording live recording
  • Elektra (R. Strauss) - Dir: Christoph von Dohnányi: Richard Mayr ( The nurse of Orestes ); Zurich Opera House, live recording
  • Church Sonata K. 67; Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus. Recording in 1931; New recording Munich: Orfeo,
  • The living past; Vienna: Preiser; Recording 1921-1924; New recording Laer: Fono - record company, sales,
  • Symphonies, Op 125 Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op 125; Beethoven, Ludwig van. - Inclusion 1935-1936, Vienna: Preiser; New recording Laer: Fono - record company, sales,
  • Edition Wiener Staatsoper live 1933-1941 / Vol 16
  • Edition Wiener Staatsoper live 1933-1941 / Vol 15
  • Edition Wiener Staatsoper live 1933-1936 / Vol 14 Clemens Krauss conducts Richard Wagner
  • Edition Wiener Staatsoper live 1933-1936 / Vol 1
Bass (voice type) Carl Zuckmayer Henndorf am Wallersee Integrated Authority File
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