A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Brandt, Marianne
BRANDT, Marianne, whose real name is Marie Bischof, was born Sept. 12, 1842, at Vienna. She was taught singing there by Frau Marschner, and (1869–70) by Mme. Viardôt. In 1867 she was engaged at Gratz, where she made her début on Jan. 4 as Rachel ('La Juive'). She next sang at Hamburg, and on April 21, 1868, first appeared at Berlin as Azucena. On the 28th she played Fidès, with such success that she obtained an immediate engagement, which extended over several years, with the exception of a year's interval in 1873. In 1872, on leave of absence, she was engaged for the season at the Royal Italian Opera; she sang once as Fidelio, May 2, in which she made her début, and several times as Donna Elvira, with very indifferent success.[1] In 1882 she sang in German opera at Drury Lane as Brangäne on the production in England of 'Tristan und Isolde,' and as Fidelio, when her artistic efforts were heartily appreciated. On July 28 of the same year she played Kundry on the second performance of Parsifal at Bayreuth, on which occasion, according to the Paris Figuro, she generously gave her services. For the past two or three years she has been a member of the German Opera Company at New York. In addition to places mentioned, Fräulein Brandt has sung in the principal cities of Germany and Austria. At Berlin she proved herself a most useful artist: her voice being very extensive in compass, she was enabled to play both soprano and mezzo-soprano parts, as Fidelio, Eglantine ('Euryanthe'), Orpheus, Spirit of Hate ('Armida'), Ortrud, Margarethe ('Genoveva'), Elvira, Selica, Amneris ('Aida '), etc., in addition to those above named.
[ A. C. ]
- ↑ The reason of her engagement was to play Ortrud on the intended production of Lohengrin, which opera, according to prospectus, was to be positively produced. For reasons unknown the production did not take place until 1876, when Miss Anna d'Augéri (Angermayer) took the part.