Robert Burg

{{short description|German baritone}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Robert Burg

| image = Signed photo of Robert Burg by Hugo Erfurth.jpg

| caption = Signed photograph of Burg, by Hugo Erfurth, 1916

| birth_name = Robert Bartl

| birth_date = {{birth date|1890|03|29|df=y}}

| birth_place = Prague

| death_date = {{Death date and age|1946|02|09|1890|03|29|df=y}}

| death_place = Radebeul, Germany

| education =

| occupation = {{plainlist|

}}

| organizations = {{plainlist|

}}

| title =

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Robert Burg (29 March 1890{{spnd}}9 February 1946), real name Robert Bartl, was a German baritone in opera, concert and recital. He belonged to the opera in Dresden for almost three decades, where he shaped the revival of Verdi operas. He performed in world premieres including the title roles of Busoni's Doktor Faust and Hindemith's Cardillac. Burg also appeared regularly at the Bayreuth Festival and gave international guest performances.

Life

Robert Bartl was born in Prague as the son of a pianist. During his studies of mathematics there, he took singing lessons with the baritone Hans Pokorny. He was a member of the {{Ill|Burschenbunds-Convent|de}} "Saxonia Prag" while he studied.[https://saebi.isgv.de/biografie/Robert%20Burg%20(1890-1946) Robert Burg] Sächsische Biographie

He made his stage debut in Aussig in 1914 as Valentin in Gounod's Faust. In the 1915–16 season, he performed at the German Theatre in Prague and at the Theater Augsburg. He moved the following season to the Dresden court opera (later: {{lang|de|Staatsoper Dresden|italic=no}}) in 1918, and remained there until it was closed during the Second World War in 1944.

In the 1920s, Burg contributed to the Verdi revival of Fritz Busch at the house.[http://www.bmlo.uni-muenchen.de/b1080 Burg, Robert] Bayerisches Musiker Lexikon Online When he appeared in the title role of Mussorgsky's Boris Godunov in 1923, the opera was finally established in the repertoire of German opera houses. He performed in many world premieres at the house, notably in the title roles of Busoni's Doktor Faust in 1925 and Hindemith's Cardillac in 1926. He was awarded the title Kammersänger.

Between 1933 and 1942, Burg appeared at the Bayreuth Festival, especially as Alberich in Der Ring des Nibelungen. He gave guest performances in Berlin and Munich as well as in Amsterdam, Budapest, Prague, Vienna and Zürich, and also gave recitals in towns in Saxony. After the Second World War, Burg gave concerts in the destroyed Dresden and the surrounding area from July 1945. He died the evening before his 32nd stage anniversary, in his dressing room following a lieder recital in Radebeul at age 55.

{{clear|right}}

Robert Burg als Escamillo.jpg|

As Escamillo in Carmen, 1916

Boris Godunow mit Robert Burg als Boris, Grete Merrem-Nikisch als Feodor.jpg|

As Boris Godunov, with Grete Merrem-Nikisch as his son Feodor, 1923

Robert Burg als Falstaff.jpg|

As Falstaff, 1924

Cardillac, 1926. Scene II. Act with Robert Burg as Cardillac and Claire Born as his daughter.jpg|

As Cardillac in 1926, with Claire Born as his daughter

References

{{reflist

| refs =

{{cite book

| last1 = Kutsch

| first1 = K.-J.

| author1-link = Karl-Josef Kutsch

| last2 = Riemens

| first2 = Leo

| author2-link = Leo Riemens

| chapter-url = https://books.google.com/books?id=dsfq_5dFeL0C&pg=652

| chapter = Burg, Robert

| title = Großes Sängerlexikon

| publisher = Walter de Gruyter

| edition = 4th

| language = de

| year = 2012

| page = 652

| isbn = 978-3-59-844088-5

}}

}}

Further reading

  • Helge Dvorak: Biographisches Lexikon der Deutschen Burschenschaft. Band II: Künstler. Winter, Heidelberg 2018, {{ISBN|978-3-8253-6813-5}}, {{pp.|105|106}}.