Oskar Czerwenka

Oskar Czerwenka (5 July 1924 – 1 June 2000) was an Austrian operatic bass and academic teacher. He was a member of the Vienna State Opera from 1951 to 1986, performing 75 roles, including his signature role Ochs auf Lerchenau and premieres of new operas. He was also an author, visual artist and illustrator, and performed in concert. He received several awards, and the state music school in his home town was named after him.

Oskar Czerwenka
The singer's villa was integrated in a state music school, which was named after him
Born(1924-07-05)5 July 1924
Vöcklabruck
Died1 June 2000(2000-06-01) (aged 75)
Occupation
  • Operatic bass
  • Academic teacher
OrganizationVienna State Opera
Awards
  • Kammersänger
  • Honorary member of the Vienna State Opera
  • Honorary citizen of Vöcklabruck
  • State music school in his name

Career

Born in Vöcklabruck, Czerwenka grew up there. He studied international commerce and then began private opera studies in Vienna with Otto Iro. He made his debut on stage at the Graz Opera in 1947. He became a member of the Vienna State Opera in 1951, where he stayed to 1986, appearing in 1084 performances at the house.[1] He also appeared at the Volksoper Wien and at major opera houses worldwide. He performed at the Salzburg Festival from 1953 and made his debut at the Metropolitan Opera in 1959.[2]

Czerwenka sang 75 operatic parts, including his signature role Ochs auf Lerchenau in Der Rosenkavalier by Richard Strauss.[3][4] Other notable roles were Osmin in Mozart's Die Entführung aus dem Serail, Kezal in Smetana's Die verkaufte Braut, Graf Waldner in Arabella, and La Roche in Capriccio.[3] He was Bartolo both in Rossini's Barber as in Mozart's.[4] Czerwenka took part in opera premiere performances, such as Gottfried von Einem's Der Prozeß at the 1953 Salzburg Festival, Werner Egk's Irische Legende in 1955, and a title role in Giselher Klebe's Jacobowsky und der Oberst which premiered in Hamburg in 1965 and was also shown at the Metropolitan Opera.[5] He took part in the premiere of Iván Erőd's opera Die Seidenraupen (The Silkworms) in 1968 during the Wiener Festwochen at the Theater an der Wien.[6] He became known in the 1970s singing the part of Tevje in Anatevka (Fiddler on the Roof).[1]

Czerwenka sang Lieder and oratorio in concert and for recordings.[1][4] He died in his hometown.[1]

Artist, illustrator, writer

As a visual artist, Czerwenka had exhibitions in Graz, Munich, Salzburg and Vienna. In 1963, he illustrated the book Kon-Figurationen with texts by Ernst Pichler. He published several books that he authored, including his autobiography Jenseits vom Prater in 1998:

  • Wo's mir schmeckt. Eine kulinarische Reise durch Oberösterreich und Salzburg. Stieglitz, Mühlacker 1982.
  • Lebenszeiten. Ungebetene Briefe. Neff, Wien 1988, ISBN 3-7014-0260-4.
  • Jenseits vom Prater. Erlebtes – Erlittenes – Empfundenes. Ueberreuter, Vienna 1998, ISBN 3-8000-3697-5.

Awards

Czerwenka received several honours and awards, including:[7]

In 2008, the Landesmusikschule Vöcklabruck (state music school) of Upper Austria moved to the former residence of the singer and an additional new building, and was named after him: Oskar Czerwenka Landesmusikschule.[8]

Literature

References
  1. Kutsch, Karl-Josef; Riemens, Leo, eds. (2004). Großes Sängerlexikon (in German). 4 (4 ed.). Walter de Gruyter. p. 978. ISBN 9783598440885. Retrieved 9 July 2017.
  2. "Search results for: Czerwenka, Oskar (Bass)". Metropolitan Opera. Retrieved 21 July 2017.
  3. "Vorstellungen mit Oskar Czerwenka" (in German). Vienna State Opera. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
  4. "Oskar Czerwenka (1924 bis 2000)". Wiener Zeitung (in German). 6 May 2000. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
  5. Griffel, Margaret Ross (1990). Operas in German. A Dictionary. New York, New York: Greenwood Press. p. 121.
  6. Beer, Otto F. (1968). "Wien – die Stunde der Komödianten". Die Zeit (in German).
  7. Czerwenka, Oskar (in German) Österreichisches Musiklexikon, retrieved 20 July 2017
  8. Website of Vöcklabruck: Oskar Czerwenka Landesmusikschule, 26 January 2010
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