Frederick Jagel


Picture of Frederick Jagel

Picture of Frederick Jagel
I wish to thank Thomas Silverbörg for the picture.

Frederick Jagel sings Lucia di Lammermoor: Fra poco a me ricovero

Frederick Jagel sings Otello: Dio, mi potevi scagliar
In RA format

Frederick Jagel singsRigoletto: Parmi veder
In RA format

Frederick Jagel singsThe house on a hill
Jagel studied voice in New York and in Milano, and made his debut as Federico Jeghelli in Livorno in 1924, as Rodolfo. The next three years, "Jeghelli" divided his time between Italy and the Italian Opera in Holland.

In 1927, he was, now under his real name, hired by the Metropolitan Opera, where he spent the next 23 years up to his retirement. Guest appearances in Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro, San Francisco (regularly from 1930 onwards), Chicago, and at the New York City Center Opera.

He was most appreciated in the Italian repertory, but particularly also as Herodes, and sang a variety of musical styles, including Russian opera (the American premiere of Sorochinskaja jarmarka/The fair of Sorochyntsi, 1930), Wagner (Tristan, Lohengrin, Tannhäuser), and contemporary opera (Peter Grimes, among many others). He took his 1950 farewell in the role of his 1924 debut, as Rodolfo.

Reference: Kutsch & Riemens

I wish to thank Thomas Siverbörg for the Rigoletto and Lucia recordings.
Many thanks to Anton Bieber for the label scan and recording of The house on a hill.

Short chronology of Jagel's appearances as Jeghelli

1924    Livorno/T. Politeama           Bohème (Rodolfo)
1924    Livorno/T. Politeama           Madama Butterfly (Pinkerton)
1925    Torino/T. Balbo                Lucia di Lammermoor (Edgardo)
1926    Arezzo/T. Petrarca             Gioconda (Enzo)
1926    Den Haag                       Madama Butterfly (Pinkerton)
1926    Roma/T. Morgana                Aida (Radames)
1926    Roma/T. Morgana                Gioconda (Enzo)
1926    Roma/T. Morgana                Manon Lescaut (des Grieux)
1927    Holland                        Iris (Osaka)
1927    Brindisi/T. Comunale           Aida (Radames)
1927    Brindisi/T. Comunale           Madama Butterfly (Pinkerton)
1927    Taranto/T. Alhambra            Aida (Radames)
1927    Taranto/T. Alhambra            Madama Butterfly (Pinkerton)
1928    Rio de Janeiro/T. Municipal    Tosca (Cavaradossi)
1928    Rio de Janeiro/T. Municipal    Loreley (Walter)
1928    Rio de Janeiro/T. Municipal    Manon Lescaut (des Grieux)
1928    Rio de Janeiro/T. Municipal    Norma (Pollione)

I would like to thank Roberto Marcocci for the biographical information.

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