Immigrant of the Day: Lotte Lehmann (Germany)

Lotte Lehmann (1888–1976) was a soprano who gave memorable performances in the operas of Richard Strauss; the Marschallin in Der Rosenkavalier was considered her greatest role.  During her long career, Lehmann also made more than five hundred recordings.

Lehmann was born in Perleberg. After studying in Berlin with Mathilde Mallinger, she made her debut in Hamburg Opera in 1910 as a Page in Wagner’s Lohengrin. Lehmann made her debut in London in 1914, and from 1924 to 1935 she performed regularly at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.  She also appeared regularly at the Salzburg Festival (1926-1937)

In 1930, Lehmann made her United States debut in Chicago. Just before Austria was annexed by Germany in 1938, Lehmann immigrated to the United States, where she sang at the San Francisco Opera and the Metropolitan Opera until 1945.

After her retirement from the recital stage in 1951, Lehmann taught master classes at the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara, California, which she helped found in 1947. For her contribution to the recording industry, Lehmann has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1735 Vine St.

The Lotte Lehmann Concert Hall on the campus of the University of California, Santa Barbara was named in her honor. The Lotte Lehmann Foundation was begun in 1995 with the dual missions to preserve and perpetuate Lotte Lehmann’s legacy, and to honor her dream of bringing art song into the lives of as many people as possible.

KJ