A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Otto, Melitta

by Alexis Chitty

OTTO, Melitta, née Alvsleben, born 1845^[1] at Dresden, was taught singing there by Thiele at the Conservatorium, and made her début at the opera in the autumn of 1861 as Margaret of Valois, appearing subsequently as Irene and Bertha. She remained a member of the company until 1873, having married Max Otto, an actuary, in 1866. Her parts comprised Anna in 'Hans Heiling,' Rowena in 'Templer und Jüdin,' Queen of Night, Alice, Martha, Eva, etc. She acquired a great reputation as a concert singer, and was the solo soprano at the Beethoven Centenary at Bonn in 1871. She first appeared in England at Mme. Schumann's concert, St. James's Hall, March 20, 1873; at the Crystal Palace, March 22; at Manchester, in Bach's Passion music at the Albert Hall, April 2 and 7. She made a great success, and remained in England until 1875, appearing most frequently at the Crystal Palace and Albert Hall, notably in the revivals of 'Theodora,' Oct. 30, 1873, and the 'Christmas Oratorio,' Dec. 15, 1873. She sang at the Philharmonic, March 25, 1874; at the Leeds Festival in 'St. John the Baptist' and Schumann's 'Paradise and the Peri,' etc., in 1874; at the Sacred Harmonic, the Wagner, Mr. Bache's, the Ballad, and principal provincial concerts, etc. She returned to Dresden in 1875, and sang in opera there and at Berlin and Hamburg. She was engaged at Hamburg in 1880 and gave 'Gastspiele' at Leipzig. In the same year she was re-engaged at the Dresden opera.

[ A. C. ]

1. According to Baptie's Dictionary.