Hans Hotter: Memoirs
"German bass-baritone Hotter's (1909-2003) voice resounds clearly through this lovingly crafted reminiscence, expertly translated and compiled by Arthur, a former opera singer himself. Hotter addresses everything from his upbringing in Munich to his experiences in the opera houses of Europe and the Americas. Readers will fall under the spell of tales of occupation armies and suspense over the fate of his various colleagues during World War II, while dealing forthrightly with the realities of the mid-century political climate. Throughout, he is uniformly positive-or at worst, neutral-about other musicians and is even accepting of the brevity of his Metropolitan Opera career (1950-54). He reports fully on his encounters with major conductors and composers of the century and includes several incisive tips for maintaining vocal health...Warmly recommended for all collections. [This is an expanded and updated translation of a 1996 German publication and contains 70-plus photographs, some never before published.-Ed.]" —Library Journal“ . . . [J]ust the kind of thing we want to find in a singer’s autobiography . . .These are the memoirs, and the memories are vivid.”—Gramophone"Friends, fans and former colleagues will no doubt delight in the details of Hotter's early career."—Opera News"The first English language edition of Hotter's memoirs recommends itself to just about every Wagnerite."—Wagner Notes