The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1929-05-17
FAMOUS OPERA Star
Of YESTERDAY DEAD.
liIIi Lehman, 81, Who last Az.
peared IN America III 1899,
Dies In Germany

beTIlfls May 1(.-NFJ-Llli Leh.
mann, famous opera singer, died to.
day ut the age Of 81.
During the last quarter of the
nineteenth century Lilli Lehman
was n Of the most powerful Oh.
cratic magnets of two continents.
She was an outstanding star in
years when the musical drama stare
boosted Of such great artists as Lii
liam Nordica, Minnie Hauk, Marcella
Sembrich, Emma Eames and Emma
Juch among prima donnas, and Al
bert Niemann. Max Alvary. Jean
and Edouard De Reszke, Paul Plan
con and Victor Maurel among the
male singers.
Frau Lehman truly was the ar
fist who loved hec art. She con-
tinued her active association with it
while her physical and vocal power
endured, which was until after she
became an actogenarian.
All But Forgotten
It was on her 80th birthday ami
vcrsary that world attention was
again directed to the great career Of
this former queen Of the opera stage.
She had disappeared from the public
eye since she responded to her last
curtain call more than Is years be-
fore and, with new heroes and new
heroines to claim the plaudits of a
new opera public, the great Leh-
mann was all but forgotten.
Her arrival at the four score year
post Of life not only recalled Frau
Lehmann's American and European
triumphs Of by-gone years, but dis
closed that she was continuing her
musical career. It never had been
interrupted. When she had made
her last public appearance she
turned from the stage to the studio
and there. just as conscientiously as
she had devoted herself to her mum.
Q roles, she sought to train
young singers to maintain the high
standard of opera she knew.
Frau Lehman was born at Wurz-
burg, Germany, November "a, 1S4e.
Her mother was Marie Lehman. 4
harpist Of note and a prima donna
who was the original heroine Of
some the operas Of the famous
composer Spohr. Lilli was taught
singing and music by her mother
and made her debut at Prague when
she was 20 years old. She after
wards appeared at Danzig and
Leipsic. Her first appearance at
Berlin a in August, 1870, as
Vielka in Meycrbeer's "Feldla1er in
Schlesien," singing with such sue
cess that she was engaged there as a
light soprano, remaining until 1885.
Sang Wagncrian Opera
Meanwhile, Nine. Lehman aided
in the inauguration Of the great
musical festivals at Beyreuth spon-
sored by Richard Wagner. She was
the last survivor of the proup of
operate stars who sang the "Nibe-
lungen Ring" in 1875, with the FAM
Gus composer conducting. In time
she developed as one Of the out
standing singers Of heroine roles Of
.Wagnerian opera.
Nine. Lehman made her debut
with the Metropolitan Opera Com
pany in New York. November IS,
1855, singing the title role in Gar
men," She concluded her engage
ment when German opera was dis
continued in 1889, but returned as q
member of the company for the sea.
sons of 1891 and 1892. singing roles
in languages other than German.
For four seasons thereafter she con-
fined her engagements to European
musical centers, but returned to the
United States for concert work in
1897 and later again joined the Met
ropolitan. She made her last ap-
pearance in opera in New York in
"Tannhauser" in March, 1899.
A concert tour during the season
of 1901-02 marked the final singing
engagements of Nine. Lehman in !
the United States. She did not visit |
this country after that, but for sew
eral years continued her operate
york in Europe.