MARIA OLSZEWSKA (b.
Ludwigsschwaige 1892 - d. Klagenfurt
1969) – A singer who needed to be
'kept out of mischief'!
The German mezzo–contralto Maria
Olszewska studied with Karl Erler in Munich and began her
career as a concert singer. Subsequently, Artur Nikisch heard
her, felt that her voice was of operatic calibre and that
she should use it on the stage. Through his recommendation,
she made her debut in Krefeld in a 1917 production of Tannhäuser
, singing the role of a page. By 1920, Olszewska had
advanced to Leipzig where her roles encompassed the larger
Wagnerian mezzo parts, such as Brangäne, Fricka, and
Waltraute. In Hamburg , she participated in the premiere of
Erich Korngold's Die Tote Stadt , presented jointly
with Cologne . The Vienna Opera engaged her in 1925 and she
began to ingratiate herself with the demanding public there.
Making her Covent Garden debut in 1924, Olszewska offered
a Herodias described as "outstanding" as were her
Waltraute, Brangäne, and Fricka. In May 1925, her collaboration
with Lotte Lehmann in Lohengrin caused Ernest Newman
to write that the pair "showed us what a masterpiece
the second act of the opera really is." In
the spring of 1927, her Carmen failed, especially when measured
against Marcel Journet's elegant Escamillo. When Bruno Walter
conducted Die Fledermaus in the 1930-1931 seasons,
Olszewska was the "strutting" Orlofsky. Finally,
she was able to present her Octavian to London audiences that
same year, aristocratic as the young lover but relishing a
bit of vulgarity when disguised as the wench. She remained
at Covent Garden throughout 1933.
Olszewska's Metropolitan Opera debut on January 16, 1933 ,
induced critic W.J. Henderson to describe her as "a Brangäne
of the first rank." In the opening night of the Metropolitan's
1934-1935 seasons, she sang Amneris, Azucena and Clitemnestre,
in addition to her repertory of Wagner roles. In the latter
part, one performance greeted her with gales of applause and
cheers in the midst of the opera , an unprecedented
occurrence. In his 1956 book, A World of Opera ,
music writer and conductor Robert Lawrence described both
her physical and vocal beauty, also cited a certain restlessness
that occasionally impacted her stage deportment. Her best
performances, he maintained, came in productions, which "immobilized
her" and kept her "rooted in one spot and out of
mischief."
Although Olszewska sang frequently in recitals, the very beauty
of her voice and her propensity for lingering on vowel sounds
kept her from achieving real success in that medium. On stage
in Wagner and Strauss, however, she ranked with the finest
artists of her era. A strikingly beautiful woman with a sumptuous
voice, she made her mark even among a substantial class of
other dramatic mezzos and contraltos, in performing during
her prime years (audio file). The very richness of her instrument
sometimes led her into capricious musical behaviour but when
guided by the baton of an assertive conductor, she could be
a magisterial artist. Among her legacy of recordings, there
is the incomparable abridged Rosenkavalier captured
in Vienna with Lotte
Lehmann , Elisabeth Schumann
and Richard Mayr.
From 1947 to 1949, she was a Professor at the Wiener Musikhochschule.
The strikingly beautiful mezzo-contralto
Maria Olszewska offstage
Maria's capacity
for 'mischief' surfaced in 1925 when she clashed with the
famous Maria Jeritza during a performance of Die Walkure
in Vienna. Jeritza, a no mean troublemaker in her own
right, stood in the wings with another singer, Hermine Kittel,
waiting for her Act II entry. Olszewska was on stage
singing Fricka, deep in debate with Wotan, sung by her fiancee
who was widely suspected of dallying with the beautiful and
volatile Jeritza. In the circumstances and not surprisingly,
the sound of Jeritza's laughter and conversation thoroughly
distracted Olszewska. She hissed at her to stop, but
Jeritza continued her merriment. Finally, Olszewska
marched towards the wings, while Wotan was addressing her,
and spat forcefully at Jeritza who saw it coming and ducked!
Unfortunately, the force of the insult landed on the innocent
Kittell, who was understandably outraged. The Vienna
Opera immediately dismissed Olszewska. (Rupert Christiansen,
Prima Donna ).
After her retirement,
Maria used to visit London and stay with her brother-in-law.
On one visit, he told her as he was going out, that the window
cleaner was expected. "The window-cleaner's always
happy if he's given a cup of tea," he told her.
"And he's rather unusual - he's very fond of Opera and
he loves talking about music." Olszewska had not made
her ready for the day but was still wearing a favourite old
dressing gown and a scarf about her head when she entertained
the window-cleaner to his morning tea. Before long,
he was advising her about the gramophone records she should
buy. "Of course", he said, "if you want
Der Rosenkavalier , don't buy any of the new recordings.
Get the old one – it is a bit hard to get hold of but it is
easily the best. There's Richard Mayr as Baron Ochs;
the Marschallin is Lotte Lehmann and Elizabeth Schumann is
Sophie, and the Octavian is...is...." "Me" said
Olszewska. "I can't remember her name," said the
window-cleaner, "I know its Mayr, Lehmann and Schumann
and..." "Me...Me", said Olszewska. "No,
I can't remember her name" he said, paying no attention
to Maria's interjections. The next time he saw her brother-in-law,
he mentioned the conversation. "Who was that funny
old woman?" he asked, "She seems to think she's
an opera singer." (Ivor Newton, At the
Piano ).
The audio
file
Schubert's Aufenthalt sung
by Maria Olszewska in 1929.
(g.m. and k.s.)
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