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The Mapleson Cylinders - Program Notes
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Walter Damrosch
(1862-1950), American conductor born in
Breslau, is perhaps best remembered for his early conducting exploits following
the death of his father Leopold during the Met's second season, and for his
late achievements in bringing good music to young people. In between, he formed
his own opera company and presented the America debuts of such important
singers as Rosa Sucher, Katherine Klafsky, and Johanna Gadski. His operas
Cyrano de Bergerac (1913) and The
Man Without a Country (1937) were premiered at the Met. For his debut,
Damrosch conducted Tannhäuser on February 11,
1885. During 1901-02, the last of his ten Met seasons, he led
Tannhäuser, Lohengrin, Meistersinger, Tristan,
the four operas of the Ring, The Magic Flute, and the
American premiere of Paderewski's Manru. For leading
seventy-five performances of opera and eight Sunday-night concerts (including
Messiah and the Verdi Requiem
), he was paid $14,000. LOHENGRIN: Side 9/Bands 1, 2
MAGIC FLUTE: Side 4/Band 8
MANRU: Side 7/Band 8
SIEGFRIED: Side 11/Bands 1, 3, 4(?)
TRISTAN: Side 9/Band 5; Side 12/Bands 8, 9
WALKÜRE: Side 10/Band 10
