Sophie Diez
{{short description|German opera singer}}
File:Sophie Dietz - Stadtmuseum, Munich.jpg
Sophie Diez or Dietz (née Hartmann) (1 September 1820 – 3 May 1887) was a German soprano who sang leading roles with the Munich Hofoper (now known as the Bavarian State Opera) in a career spanning 40 years. She is most remembered today for having created the role of Magdalena in Wagner's Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, but she also sang in the world premieres of several other operas by lesser-known German composers.DiGaetani, John Louis (2013). [https://books.google.com/books?id=7wtWAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA163 Richard Wagner: New Light on a Musical Life], p. 163. McFarland. {{ISBN|0786445440}}{{Almanacco|match=Diez-Hartmann}}
Life and career
Diez was born in Munich and received her early training from her father who was a musician in the city. In 1836 she joined the chorus of the Munich Hofoper where the conductor Franz Lachner noticed the beauty of her voice and gave her further training.Eisenberg, Ludwig (1903). [https://archive.org/details/ludwigeisenberg00eiseuoft Großes biographisches Lexikon der Deutschen Bühne im 19. Jahrhundert], pp. 200–201. P. List {{in lang|de}} She made her debut as a soloist on 1 December 1836 as Angelina in Cherubini's The Water Carrier and in February of the following year appeared as Benjamin in Étienne Méhul's Joseph. Shortly thereafter she was engaged as permanent member of the company.Meyers Konversations-Lexikon (1885–1892). [http://www.retrobibliothek.de/retrobib/seite.html?id=104334 "Diez, Sophie"], Vol. 4, p. 966. Bibliographisches Institut. Online version retrieved 22 June 2014 {{in lang|de}}. She went on to sing many leading roles with the Hofoper and appeared in several world premieres. By 1867, she had sung 122 roles in 94 operas, including all the female roles (apart from Marcellina) in The Marriage of Figaro and all six female roles in The Magic Flute.[https://books.google.com/books?id=D-csAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA50 Signale für die musikalische Welt] (January 1867), p. 50 {{in lang|de}}
In addition to her performances in Munich, Diez also appeared as a guest singer in several other German cites, including Stuttgart, Cologne, Dresden, and Hamburg.Flüggen, Ottmar G. (1892). [https://archive.org/details/biographischesb00flgoog Biographisches bühnen-lexikon der deutschen theater], p. 61. A. Bruckmann {{in lang|de}} In 1866, she was given the title Kammersängerin by Prince Luitpold and a jubilee celebration was staged by the Hofoper to mark the 30th anniversary of her debut. Diez officially retired from the company in December 1877, although she made one more appearance the following April as Nandl in one of Ignaz Lachner's Alpine Scenes, Das Versprechen hinter'm Herd.Foltz (1879). Jahrbuch für das deutsche Theater, Vol. 1, p. 91. {{in lang|de}}
In 1841, she had married Ernst Friedrich Diez, who was 15 years her senior and sang as a tenor with the Munich Hofoper from 1837 to 1849. They appeared in several productions together, including the Munich premiere of Lortzing's Zar und Zimmermann in July 1841—she as Marie and he as the Marquis de Chateauneuf.Königliches Hof- und National-Theater (1841). [https://books.google.com/books?id=uC1DAAAAcAAJ&pg=PT342 Königliches Hof- und Nationaltheater: 1840/41], p. 342 Sophie Diez died in Munich in 1887 at the age of 66 and was buried in the Alter Südfriedhof cemetery.Friedhöfe in München. [http://friedhof.stadt-muenchen.net/d_grab.php?id=298&PHPSESSID=qdo5l8o0o1ds2conf2qgo4viu7 Grab – Sophie Diez (Grave – Sophie Diez)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150616000447/http://friedhof.stadt-muenchen.net/d_grab.php?id=298&PHPSESSID=qdo5l8o0o1ds2conf2qgo4viu7 |date=2015-06-16 }}. Retrieved 23 June 2014 {{in lang|de}}. Her husband died five years later. Richard Strauss dedicated several of his early songs to her, including his 1879 Für Musik, a setting of Emanuel Geibel's poem "Nun die Schatten dunkeln"
("Now the Shadows Darken").Richard Strauss Institut (2009). [http://www.richard-strauss-institut.de/aktuelles.php3 "Unbekannte Komposition von Ricard Strauss veröffentlicht"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140204040203/http://www.richard-strauss-institut.de/aktuelles.php3 |date=2014-02-04 }}. Retrieved 23 June 2014 {{in lang|de}}.
Roles created
Sophie Diez sang in the following world premieres:List sourced from Casaglia and Königliches Hof- und Nationaltheater (year books [https://books.google.com/books?id=sjJFAAAAcAAJ 1840], [https://books.google.com/books?id=Wy5DAAAAcAAJ 1845], [https://books.google.com/books?id=YDJDAAAAcAAJ 1849])
- Lauretta in Franz Xaver Pentenrieder's Die Nacht zu Paluzzi, Königliches Hof- und National-Theater, Munich, 2 October 1840
- Käthchen in Heinrich Esser's Die zwei Prinzen, Königliches Hof- und National-Theater, Munich, 10 April 1845
- Ascanio in Franz Lachner's Benvenuto Cellini, Königliches Hof- und National-Theater, Munich, 7 October 1849
- Magdalena in Richard Wagner's Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, Königliches Hof- und National-Theater, Munich, 21 June 1868
- Mathilde in Josef Rheinberger's Die sieben Raben, Königliches Hof- und National-Theater, Munich, 23 May 1869
References
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Category:German operatic sopranos