Res Fischer was one of the few true German contraltos of the 1930s and 1940s, and was one of the most powerful singing-actresses of her day, performing internationally.
11 Facts About Res Fischer
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Res Fischer appeared in first recordings of complete operas, and created roles including the title role of Carl Orff's Antigonae.
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Res Fischer made her stage debut in 1927 at the Theater Basel, and remained there until 1935.
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Res Fischer then sang at the Oper Frankfurt to 1941, when she joined the Stuttgart Opera.
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Res Fischer created the title role in Carl Orff's Antigonae at the Salzburg Festival in 1949.
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Res Fischer appeared at the Bayreuth Festival from 1959 to 1961 as Mary in Der fliegende Hollander.
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Res Fischer performed there in a production conducted by Wolfgang Sawallisch, alongside George London as the Hollander and Leonie Rysanek as Senta.
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Leonie Rysanek 8.
Res Fischer enjoyed a long and distinguished career singing until 1961.
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Res Fischer is featured in recordings of complete operas in German, including first recordings, in 1949 of Orff's Antigonae conducted by Ferenc Fricsay, in 1950 of Marschner's Hans Heiling conducted by Wilhelm Schuchter, and in 1964 of Fortner's Bluthochzeit conducted by Ferdinand Leitner.
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Res Fischer sang the role of Marcellina in Mozart's Die Hochzeit des Figaro in a 1942 recording conducted by Clemens Krauss, and the female title role of Samson et Dalila in 1948, alongside Lorenz Fehenberger, Fred Destal and Max Proebstl, with Hans Altmann conducting the Bavarian Radio Chorus and Orchestra.
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Res Fischer appeared as Zita in Puccini's Gianni Schicchi in 1949, conducted by Richard Kraus, as Ulrica in Verdi's Un ballo in maschera in 1950, conducted by Georg Solti, as Mary in 1951, conducted by Schuchter, and again in 1959 in the Bayreuth recording, as Erda in Wagner's Das Rheingold a live recording from Hamburg conducted by Schuchter, and as the Knusperhexe in Humperdinck's Hansel und Gretel in 1954, conducted by Fritz Lehmann.