The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-11-09
THE GREAT TENOR DEAD
MAX ALVARY SUCCUMBED TO CAN
GER AT HIS THURINGIAN HOME.
His Fame Rested ora UnrivaIed Imper-
sOnatiOn of Siegfried-Last APP
peRrance in This City.

BERLIN. Nov. S.--Max Alvary, the popu-
lar German operate tenor who sang dur
ing many seasons in the United States, is
dead. He expired at Tabars, Thuringia.
It was announced three months ago that
Max Alvary was impoverished and suffer-
ing from cancer of the stomach at his home
in Thuringia. Business losses, two years
of enforced idleness and the cost of medi-
cal attendance, it was said had swept away
his fortune, even his life insurance having
been mortgaged to save the home he had
beeen building for his wife and children.
1t was further asserted that friends in this
country subscribed to a fund in his behalf,
hoping to save for Always wife and chill
dren the home he had planned for them in
happier days.
Max Alvary was seen in this city with
the Damrosch Opera Company four years
ago in the role Of Lohengrin. 1t was on
his last tour of America. For several years
past the singer has been in poor health
and his friends have known that it was of
serious nature But it is only since his
return to Germany that his condition be-
came grave. Frau Alvary two years ago
became the mother of her thirteenth child
Not all Of them are living.
Max Alvary had been identified with the
years. He sang in the same company with
Nine. Klafsky until the season of her death
in Hamburg under tragic circumstances fol-
lowing their American engagement. He had
sung at Bayreuth in ",rannhauser' and
Tristan and Isolde" and had appeared in
London with the German opera companies
that were taken there under Pollinis man
agement. But he had made his reputation
in this country and when ne returned to
Germany he Immediately took his place
among the foremost heroic tenors of that
country. He was a young man when he APP
peared here first, and some idea of his de-
velopment at the Metropolitan Opera House
may be gathered from the fact that he
made his debut in that city as Don Jose
in Carmen" and after few years created
the young Siegfried when the opera "Sieg-
fried was first sung in New York. 1t is
with this role that his fame is chiefly asso-
ciated and on his last visit to this country
his performance of the part was as remark
able as it ever had been, although he was
not so young a man by several years
when he first expressed with such remark
able success the youthfulneSS and in
genuousness of the character
He became a great favorite with the audi
ences at the Metropolitan when Anton Seidl
directed the German season there. and par
t1cularly with the young women VINO were
regular attendants at the opera. He made
his Farewell appearance In 1889 as Siegfried,
and it was after that matinee that he was
| the subject of a demonstration that, re-
markable as it was, showed the position
which he held in the affections of certain
of his admirers. A crowd of women, young
and Old gathered at the stage door of the
opera house Fortieth street, and AL
Vary's progress across the sidewalk to his
waiting carriage was interrupted by the vio-
lent farewells of the crowd, and several
young women are said to have embraced
him with an enthusiasm which he was pow
erleSS to prevent. He was a married man
at that time, but this fact did not cool the
affection of the young women who were
overwhelmed with grief at the thought of
| losing their favOrite tenor When he re-
that he had still remained youthful and
athletic, although the old-time furore of his
admirers was not revived. He was careful
OF his looks, and is said to have taken good
care to avoid increasing weight. During his
first season here with the Damrosch COM
pany Herr Alvary sang Siegfried for the
hundredth time. He appeared first in the
role on Nov. g. 1889.
The tenors family name was Aschenbach
and his father was a scene painter of Ger
many. He was born about forty-two years
ago in Dusseldorf and as young man sang
in the local societies and in the school
choirs. He studied singing first under Lam
| perte, and, expecting to remain a light
tenor is said to have devoted his time first
to the music of the old repertoire. Max
Alvary inherited some of his fathers ar
tistic tastes and is said to have assisted in
designing the costumes for the production
| of Walter Damrosch'S opera THE Scarlet
| at Weimar, but he was shortly afterward
| brought to this country and at the Metro
| politan Opera House gained his reputation
! as q Wagnerian tenor.