Born: 15 June 1861, Czechia
Died: 17 November 1936
Country most active: International
Also known as: Tini Rössler
The following is republished from the Library of Congress. This piece falls under under public domain, as copyright does not apply to “any work of the U.S. Government” where “a work prepared by an officer or employee of the U.S. Government as part of that person’s official duties” (See, 17 U.S.C. §§ 101, 105).
Ernestine Schumann-Heink was a force of nature. She was trained by a coloratura and could sing trills and cadenzas that equaled those of any coloratura. Her natural range of a powerful contralto, and her introspective dramatic qualities thrilled her audiences. Schumann-Heink first sang at Dresden in 1878 before moving on to Hamburg, where she sang under Gustav Mahler. She came to the Metropolitan Opera in 1898, and then bought out her long-term Berlin contract so she could sing almost exclusively in America. She also sang with the Oscar Hammerstein Company and the Boston and Chicago operas. After Schumann-Heink gave her last Met performance in 1932, she concertized and toured with her own troupe in musical comedy, in Gilbert and Sullivan, and with Roxy’s (Radio) Gang until she was well into her seventies.
The following is excerpted from Famous Women: An Outline of Feminine Achievement Through the Ages With Life Stories of Five Hundred Noted Women. Written by Joseph Adelman, published 1926 by Ellis M Lonow Company.
Ernestine Shumann-Heink, a dramatic contralto, born near Prague, Bohemia. After appearing successfully in Dresden, Hamburg, and at the Baireuth Festivals, she came to America in 1898 and made her début at the Metropolitan Opera House, where she immediately became a prime favorite, especially in the Wagnerian roles.
After 1908 she devoted herself almost exclusively to singing in concerts, though in 1915 she appeared in the Chicago Opera.