Carrie Pringle (Caroline Mary Isabelle Pringle) (19 March 1859 – 12 November 1930) was an Austrian-born British soprano singer. She performed the role of one of the Flowermaidens in the 1882 premiere of Richard Wagner's Parsifal at the Bayreuth Festival. Unproven rumours associate Wagner's supposed infatuation with Pringle with the circumstances of his death in Venice in 1883.
Flowermaidens at the 1882 premiere of Wagner's Parsifal. At left is Carrie Pringle[1]
Carrie Pringle was born in Linz, the daughter of Basil Pringle, a landowner and amateur violinist, and Isabella, née Latinovics de Borsód, whose family originated from Hódság (then in Hungary, now Odžaci in Serbia), and who was a talented pianist.[2] During her youth the family lived in Germany and Italy.[3] The conductor Hermann Levi had heard Pringle sing in 1878; it seems to have been on his suggestion that Wagner auditioned Pringle in 1881 for the role of a Flowermaiden; in Act II of Parsifal these characters have an important scene in which they attempt to seduce the eponymous hero, on the commands of the magician Klingsor. Although Levi, who was to conduct the work's premiere, was uncertain about her, she was engaged.[4]
Pringle was the only one of the original Flowermaidens not to be re-engaged for the 1883 production of Parsifal, and moved with her parents and siblings to London. In England her career was fitful and she apparently never appeared on the opera stage again. Other members of the family also sought musical professions, including her brother Godfrey Pringle (1867–1900) who wrote two operas. Pringle and her mother both gave music lessons, and she herself sought by advertisement engagements for theatres and seaside piers during the holiday seasons.[5] Pringle never married; she died in Brighton in 1930 of ovarian cancer.[6]
Pringle and Wagner
Advertisement by Carrie Pringle in The Musical Times of 1 November 1895, containing testimonial of Frederick Bridge.
Although Pringle's audition with Wagner in 1881 was indifferent, she performed well in the first production of Parsifal. Wagner was particularly keen on the 'Flower Scene' in the opera, and at this point shouted "Bravo!" at many of the sixteen performances in the Bayreuth Festival Theatre, much to the disgust of the audience (which presumably did not realize who was enthusing).[7] Wagner also enjoyed the company of the Flowermaidens offstage: Cosima Wagner recorded in her diary for 3 August 1882 "[Richard] sits by the stove...amidst the Flowermaidens and talks jokingly with them".[8] In Wagner's own essay on the Parsifal production (1 November 1882), he gushed: "I do not believe that the enchantment of girlish grace expressed in singing and acting has ever been conveyed...in a manner which can stand comparison to that of the young ladies, true artists, who performed this scene in Parsifal."[9] However, in the event, in the opinion of those around Wagner, Pringle proved too undisciplined and was 'overparted'.[10]
Wagner's death
Wagner died at the Palazzo Vendramin Calergi in Venice of a heart attack on 13 February 1883. There is some evidence that earlier in the day, there had been some argument between him and Cosima, on the subject of which there is no record.[11] The memoirs of the criminologist Alexandre Lacassagne, published forty years after Wagner's death, include the first suggestion that this argument was associated with Pringle: "In February 1883...[Wagner] gave out his intention of engaging Miss Pringle, but met with serious opposition all round. He flew into a violent temper and had a sudden apoplectic seizure to which he succumbed in half-an-hour".[12] Other writers embroidered this tale, to claim that Pringle had been Wagner's lover since 1882. A further elaboration has been that Pringle was intending to visit Wagner in Venice, prompting Cosima's displeasure.[13] The Wagner scholar Stewart Spencer has demonstrated the complete absence of any first-hand or documentary evidence to support such stories.[14] The only material connecting Pringle to Wagner's death is a telegram of condolences sent by the Pringle family from Milan after the event.[15]
Nevertheless, in the words of David Cormack, "The 'English Flowermaiden killed Wagner' story refuses to give up the ghost."[16] In Jonathan Harvey's 2007 opera about Wagner's last day, Wagner Dream, which assumes that Wagner and Pringle had an affair, Carrie Pringle appears onstage in a spoken role.[17]
Notes
^"Caroline (Carrie) Mary Isabelle Pringle (1859–1930)", Wagner200 website, accessed 28 March 2015.
^Andrew Clements, Wagner Dream, The Guardian, 3 May 2007 (accessed 28 March 2015)
Sources
Baker, John A. (2008). Wagner and Venice. Rochester: University of Rochester Press. ISBN9781580462884.
Cormack, David (2005). Wir welken und sterben dahinnen: Carrie Pringle and the Solo Flowermaidens of 1882",(subscription required) in Musical Times, vol. 146 no. 1890 (Spring 2005), pp. 16–31. Accessed 28 March 2015.
Cormack, David (2009). "English Flowermaidens (And Other Transplants) at Bayreuth"(subscription required) in Musical Times, vol. 150 no. 1909 (Winter 2009), pp. 95–102. Accessed 28 March 2015.
Gadd, Stephen (2011). "Carrie Pringle – Some Answers", in Gadabout blog, accessed 28 March 2015.
Newman, Ernest (1976). The Life of Richard Wagner, 4 vols. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN978-0-685-14824-2.
Spencer, Stewart (2004). " "Er starb, – ein Mensch wie alle": Wagner and Carrie Pringle", in Wagner vol. 25 no. 2.
Vaszonyi, Nicolas (ed.) (2013). "Pringle, Carrie", in The Cambridge Wagner Encyclopaedia, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN978-1-107-00425-2
von Westernhagen, Curt (1979). "Wagner's Last Day"(subscription required) in Musical Times, vol. 120 no. 1635 (May 1979), pp. 395–397. Accessed 28 March 2015.
carrie, pringle, caroline, mary, isabelle, pringle, march, 1859, november, 1930, austrian, born, british, soprano, singer, performed, role, flowermaidens, 1882, premiere, richard, wagner, parsifal, bayreuth, festival, unproven, rumours, associate, wagner, supp. Carrie Pringle Caroline Mary Isabelle Pringle 19 March 1859 12 November 1930 was an Austrian born British soprano singer She performed the role of one of the Flowermaidens in the 1882 premiere of Richard Wagner s Parsifal at the Bayreuth Festival Unproven rumours associate Wagner s supposed infatuation with Pringle with the circumstances of his death in Venice in 1883 Flowermaidens at the 1882 premiere of Wagner s Parsifal At left is Carrie Pringle 1 Contents 1 Life 2 Pringle and Wagner 3 Wagner s death 4 Notes 5 SourcesLife EditCarrie Pringle was born in Linz the daughter of Basil Pringle a landowner and amateur violinist and Isabella nee Latinovics de Borsod whose family originated from Hodsag then in Hungary now Odzaci in Serbia and who was a talented pianist 2 During her youth the family lived in Germany and Italy 3 The conductor Hermann Levi had heard Pringle sing in 1878 it seems to have been on his suggestion that Wagner auditioned Pringle in 1881 for the role of a Flowermaiden in Act II of Parsifal these characters have an important scene in which they attempt to seduce the eponymous hero on the commands of the magician Klingsor Although Levi who was to conduct the work s premiere was uncertain about her she was engaged 4 Pringle was the only one of the original Flowermaidens not to be re engaged for the 1883 production of Parsifal and moved with her parents and siblings to London In England her career was fitful and she apparently never appeared on the opera stage again Other members of the family also sought musical professions including her brother Godfrey Pringle 1867 1900 who wrote two operas Pringle and her mother both gave music lessons and she herself sought by advertisement engagements for theatres and seaside piers during the holiday seasons 5 Pringle never married she died in Brighton in 1930 of ovarian cancer 6 Pringle and Wagner Edit Advertisement by Carrie Pringle in The Musical Times of 1 November 1895 containing testimonial of Frederick Bridge Although Pringle s audition with Wagner in 1881 was indifferent she performed well in the first production of Parsifal Wagner was particularly keen on the Flower Scene in the opera and at this point shouted Bravo at many of the sixteen performances in the Bayreuth Festival Theatre much to the disgust of the audience which presumably did not realize who was enthusing 7 Wagner also enjoyed the company of the Flowermaidens offstage Cosima Wagner recorded in her diary for 3 August 1882 Richard sits by the stove amidst the Flowermaidens and talks jokingly with them 8 In Wagner s own essay on the Parsifal production 1 November 1882 he gushed I do not believe that the enchantment of girlish grace expressed in singing and acting has ever been conveyed in a manner which can stand comparison to that of the young ladies true artists who performed this scene in Parsifal 9 However in the event in the opinion of those around Wagner Pringle proved too undisciplined and was overparted 10 Wagner s death EditWagner died at the Palazzo Vendramin Calergi in Venice of a heart attack on 13 February 1883 There is some evidence that earlier in the day there had been some argument between him and Cosima on the subject of which there is no record 11 The memoirs of the criminologist Alexandre Lacassagne published forty years after Wagner s death include the first suggestion that this argument was associated with Pringle In February 1883 Wagner gave out his intention of engaging Miss Pringle but met with serious opposition all round He flew into a violent temper and had a sudden apoplectic seizure to which he succumbed in half an hour 12 Other writers embroidered this tale to claim that Pringle had been Wagner s lover since 1882 A further elaboration has been that Pringle was intending to visit Wagner in Venice prompting Cosima s displeasure 13 The Wagner scholar Stewart Spencer has demonstrated the complete absence of any first hand or documentary evidence to support such stories 14 The only material connecting Pringle to Wagner s death is a telegram of condolences sent by the Pringle family from Milan after the event 15 Nevertheless in the words of David Cormack The English Flowermaiden killed Wagner story refuses to give up the ghost 16 In Jonathan Harvey s 2007 opera about Wagner s last day Wagner Dream which assumes that Wagner and Pringle had an affair Carrie Pringle appears onstage in a spoken role 17 Notes Edit Caroline Carrie Mary Isabelle Pringle 1859 1930 Wagner200 website accessed 28 March 2015 Gadd 2011 Vaszonyi 2013 Vaszonyi 2013 Cormack 2005 pp 20 21 Gadd 2011 Cormack 2009 pp 96 7 Cormack 2009 p 98 von Westernhagen 1979 pp 395 6 Cited in von Westernhagen 1979 p 396 Cited in von Westernhagen 1979 p 397 Cormack 2009 p 96 Newman 1976 IV p 697 pp 711 2 von Westernhagen 1979 p 397 Alexandre Lacassagne tr H Wilson A Green Old Age London 1923 cited in Cormack 2009 p 96 Cormack 2005 p 22 Cormack 2009 p 92 Baker 2008 p 277 von Westernhagen 1979 p 397 Spencer 2004 Cormack 2005 p 21 Cormack 2009 p 95 Andrew Clements Wagner Dream The Guardian 3 May 2007 accessed 28 March 2015 Sources EditBaker John A 2008 Wagner and Venice Rochester University of Rochester Press ISBN 9781580462884 Cormack David 2005 Wir welken und sterben dahinnen Carrie Pringle and the Solo Flowermaidens of 1882 subscription required in Musical Times vol 146 no 1890 Spring 2005 pp 16 31 Accessed 28 March 2015 Cormack David 2009 English Flowermaidens And Other Transplants at Bayreuth subscription required in Musical Times vol 150 no 1909 Winter 2009 pp 95 102 Accessed 28 March 2015 Gadd Stephen 2011 Carrie Pringle Some Answers in Gadabout blog accessed 28 March 2015 Newman Ernest 1976 The Life of Richard Wagner 4 vols Cambridge Cambridge University Press ISBN 978 0 685 14824 2 Spencer Stewart 2004 Er starb ein Mensch wie alle Wagner and Carrie Pringle in Wagner vol 25 no 2 Vaszonyi Nicolas ed 2013 Pringle Carrie in The Cambridge Wagner Encyclopaedia Cambridge Cambridge University Press ISBN 978 1 107 00425 2 von Westernhagen Curt 1979 Wagner s Last Day subscription required in Musical Times vol 120 no 1635 May 1979 pp 395 397 Accessed 28 March 2015 Portals Biography Opera Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Carrie Pringle amp oldid 1124691349, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
