Erik Schmedes

Erik Anton Julius Schmedeswurth ( born August 27, 1868 in Gentofte, Denmark, † March 21 1931 in Vienna) was a Danish opera singer (tenor ). He was best known for his roles in operas by Richard Wagner. His brother Hakon Schmedeswurth was a noted violinist and composer.

After studying in Paris, Berlin and Vienna debuted Erik Schmedeswurth 1891 in Wiesbaden as a baritone. After further studies with August Iffert he made his debut in Vienna in 1898 as a heroic tenor. ( Title role of Siegfried at the Vienna Court Opera ).

Schmedeswurth sang from 1899 to 1906 at the Bayreuth Festival. He also appeared in the season 1908/1909 at the New York Metropolitan Opera. Although he rolls from the Wagner repertoire sang primarily Schmedeswurth was also an admired interpreter of Florestan in Beethoven's Fidelio. During his career, he has sung in 1,130 performances and 42 roles.

For 27 years Schmedeswurth coined the Vienna Opera life decisively until he reasons of health, on 30 June 1924, the title role in William Kienzl Evangelimann goodbye to the stage.

After that he worked until his death as a teacher at the New Vienna Conservatory, where he, in place of a diseased tenor, with his highly talented daughter, Dagmar, in the first Walkürenakt sang Siegmund. Among his pupils were such prominent singers like Maria Müller and Anny Konetzni.

Erik Schmedeswurth had already suffered considerable time to emphysema and heart muscle degeneration, when he was admitted on 21 June 1931 in the coronary care unit, where he expired the same evening.

1936 Schmedesweg in Ottakring was named after him.