Oscar Bolz
Oscar Bolz was born in 1875 in Magdeburg. He studied in Berlin and became a licensed dentist,
when his voice was discovered. Bolz entered the Sternsches Konservatorium. He made his debut as
heldentenor in 1900 in Olomouc/Olmütz, went on to Barmen in 1902, before arriving in Aachen.
Bühne der Welt wrote:
A bit late, but with the necessary care, Das Rheingold was performed in Aachen. Mr. Bolz, as Loge,
did not manage to be the center point of attention. Mr. Bolz gave several guest appearances:
In Elberfeld, he was Turiddu and Canio. He showed great vocal qualities while his temperament
lead him to overplay the parts. In Essen, he was Siegfried during the last part of the season,
replacing Mr. Rupert Gogl, and was excellent.
A major career change was the move to Mainz in 1904. In a performance of Siegfried, Bolz was named
first in the review, despite the the domineering dramatic soprano Hedwig Materna. Reviews considered him
vocally impressive. After guest appearances as Raoul and Siegfried in 1905 in Stuttgart, he was
hired to replace the departing Costa. Dr. Fritz Volbach said in the review Musik:
The new appointed tenor, Mr. Bolz, drew attention as Masaniello. His future will depend on whether he can bring his
artistic skills to the level of his vocal skills. In the new production of Verdi's Amelia (i.e. Ballo)
he was as Richard quite appropriate for those parts. However in the Ring, as Loge, Siegmund and Siegfried,
he was quite impossible. He has no nobility and cannot control his acting.
Bolz became internationally known when he replaced Carl Burrian as Herod in 1907 in Paris.
He had
a triumph in 1908 as Otello in Stuttgart. There, Bolz proved to be also a major Wagnerian singer.
In 1909, Bolz took some time off to go to Milan to study further with Lamperti and Sibella. Upon his return,
he proved to be indispensable, and in spite of quarrels, remained as Stuttgart's first tenor until
the end of the Kaiser period. The end of the war meant the collapse of Bolz' world. All
contracts were canceled. Bolz went to Halle in 1918, where he impressed. After a detour
through
Nürnberg, he arrived in 1921 at the Berlin Staatsoper. By that time, he was over the hill. Bolz
retired in 1925 and became an impresario. He moved to Munich for good in 1927.
He died in 1935 while
being in Zoppot, attending a rehearsal of Rienzi at the Waldoper.
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In RA format
Discography
Odeon, Berlin, December 1907
xB3500-5 Trovatore (Verdi): Lodern zum Himmel X64793, X51589
xB3503 Tannhäuser (Wagner): Dir töne Lob X64783, X51588
xB3506 Aida (Verdi): Holde Aida X64779, X51587
Trovatore (Verdi): Dass nur für mich dein Herz erbebt X25317
Cavalleria rusticana (Mascagni): O Lola, rosengleich X25046, X64780
Pagliacci (Leoncavallo): Jetzt spielen X25047, X64781
Juive (Halévy): Recha, als Gott dich einst X25316, X64782
Carmen (Bizet): Hier an dem Herzen treu geborgen X64971, X51591
Odeon, Berlin, March 1908
xB3763 Walküre (Wagner): Winterstürme wichen dem Wonnemond X64937, X51592
xB3764 Walküre (Wagner): Siegmund heiß' ich X64966, X51593
Odeon, Berlin, April 1908
xxB3839 Lohengrin (Wagner): Mein lieber Schwan AA56988, XX76020
xB3840 Lohengrin (Wagner): Atmest du nicht mit mir X25657
xB3841 Prophète (Meyerbeer): Herr, dich in den Sternenkreisen unpubl
xB3841-2 d:o X99089, X51617
xB3842 Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Wagner): Am stillen Herd X99086, X51615
xB3843 Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Wagner): Morgenlich leuchtend X99094, X51616
xB3844 Africaine (Meyerbeer): Land so wunderbar unpubl
xB3844-2 d:o X25658
xB3845 Prophète (Meyerbeer): Keins von allen Erdenreichen X51618
xB3845-2 d:o X99091
Parlophon, Berlin, 29 January 1912
2-1141 Otello (Verdi): Jeder Knabe P1141, P297, P340
2-1142 Juive (Halévy): Recha, als Gott dich einst P1142, P296
2-1143 Africaine (Meyerbeer): Land so wunderbar P1143, P295
2-1144 Trovatore (Verdi): Dass nur für mich dein Herz erbebt P1144, P296
Parlophon, Berlin, 30 January 1912
2-1145 Prophète (Meyerbeer): Herr, dich in den Sternenkreisen P1145, P295
2-1146 Walküre (Wagner): Winterstürme wichen dem Wonnemond P1146, P293
2-1147 Walküre (Wagner): Siegmund heiß' ich P1147, P293
2-1148 Trovatore (Verdi): Einsam steh' ich & Lodern zum Himmel P1148, P298
2-1149 Otello (Verdi): Du, Verräter! Weiche! P1149, P297
2-1150 Pagliacci (Leoncavallo): Jetzt spielen P1150, P298
Polyphon, Berlin, May 1913
7735 Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Wagner): Am stillen Herd 12379, Specialophon 725
7736 Walküre (Wagner): Winterstürme wichen dem Wonnemond 12379, Specialophon 726
7737 Pagliacci (Leoncavallo): Jetzt spielen 12378, Specialophon 723
7738 Trovatore (Verdi): Lodern zum Himmel 12380
7739 Africaine (Meyerbeer): Land so wunderbar 12380
7740 Cavalleria rusticana (Mascagni): O Lola, rosengleich 12378, Specialophon 724
Polyphon, Berlin, August 1913
8085b Lohengrin (Wagner): In fernem Land 12398, Specialophon 774,
Bella-Record 2578
8086a Lohengrin (Wagner): Mein lieber Schwan 12398
8087b Aida (Verdi): Holde Aida 12405
8089b Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Wagner): Morgenlich leuchtend 12405, Specialophon 773
Favorite, Berlin, September 1913
3057-b+ Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Wagner): Am stillen Herd 1-015154
3058-b+ Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Wagner): Morgenlich leuchtend 1-015155
90-c Lohengrin (Wagner): Wenn ich im Kampfe (w. Denera) 2-19011
91-c Lohengrin (Wagner): Das süße Lied (w. Denera) 2-19012
Tannhäuser (Wagner): Inbrunst im Herzen pt. 1 2-15075
Tannhäuser (Wagner): Inbrunst im Herzen pt. 2 2-15076
Odeon, Berlin, 18 March 1925
Be4531 Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Wagner): Morgenlich leuchtend unpubl ("zerstört")
Be4532 Tannhäuser (Wagner): Dir töne Lob unpubl ("zerstört")
xxBo8525 Walküre (Wagner): Winterstürme wichen dem Wonnemond unpubl
Odeon, Berlin, 4 September 1925
Be4532-2 Tannhäuser (Wagner): Dir töne Lob! unpubl ("zerstört")
Be4762 Lohengrin (Wagner): Atmest du nicht unpubl
xxBo8525-3 Walküre (Wagner): Winterstürme wichen dem Wonnemond O-6274
xxBo8614 Walküre (Wagner): Siegmund heiß' ich O-6274
Artiphon, Berlin, 6 November 1925
7175 Walküre (Wagner): Winterstürme wichen dem Wonnemond 7175
7176 Lohengrin (Wagner): In fernem Land 7176
7177 Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Wagner): Morgenlich leuchtend 7177
7178 Cavalleria rusticana (Mascagni): O Lola, rosengleich 7178, Limania 864
7179 Pagliacci (Leoncavallo): Jetzt spielen 7179, Limania 864
Odeon, Berlin, 7 November 1925
Be4531-2 Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Wagner): Morgenlich leuchtend unpubl ("zerstört")
Be4880 Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Wagner): Am stillen Herd unpubl
Be4881 Otello (Verdi): Du, Verräter! Weiche! unpubl
Reference: Einhard Luther, So viel der Helden. Biographie eines Stimmfaches, Teil 3: Wagnertenöre der Kaiserzeit (1871–1918), Berlin 2006
Sources for the discography: Gesellschaft für historische Tonträger, Wien; Robert Johannesson's great but defunct website 78opera.com
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