Virginia Livia Frege, née Gerhardt (13 June 1818, Gera – 22 August 1891, Abtnaundorf) was a German singer (soprano),[1] Prima Donna of the Leipzig Stadttheater, arts patron[2] and co-founder of the Leipzig Bach Society. She was referred to as the "Queen of Leipzig's romantic song singing".[3] Frege is best known for her performances of the works by Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy.[3] Her repertoire included songs by Heinrich Marschner, Franz Schubert, Robert Schumann and Mendelssohn.
Livia Gerhardt was a daughter of the businessman Johann Christian Gerhardt (1764–1839) and Anna Christiane Friederike Bartholomäi.[4] She was trained as a soprano by Christian August Pohlenz in Leipzig. In 1834, she took lessons from the singer Wilhelmine Schröder-Devrient in Dresden in order to perfect her skills.[5]
Careeredit
Livia Gerhardt made her debut on 9 July 1832 at the age of 14 in the Leipzig Gewandhaus in a concert by Clara Wieck with an aria and a duet by Ferdinando Paer.[5] In October 1832, Livia Gerhardt received the position of second concert singer at the Gewandhaus in Leipzig.[4] The next year, in 1833, she debuted as Amazili in Louis Spohr's Jessonda.[6] In the following two years she performed 32 roles including Julia in I Capuleti e i Montecchi by Vincenzo Bellini, Alice in Robert le diable by Giacomo Meyerbeer, Page Cherubin in The Marriage of Figaro by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Rosine in The Barber of Seville by Gioachino Rossini and others.[7] In spring 1835, she made a guest appearance at the Weimar Theater and in July 1835 received an engagement at the Königsstädtische Theater in Berlin.[5]
In 1835–1836, she was singing at the Berlin Royal Opera. Gerhardt went back to Leipzig after her marriage in 1836 with the lawyer Woldemar Frege and ended her stage career at the age of 18.[8] Livia Frege only appeared occasionally after her marriage, mostly at charity and church concerts and in 1843 sang the role of Peri in the world premiere of Schumann's oratorio Das Paradies und die Peri op. 50.[9]
Freges regularly welcomed musicians and their friends in their apartment at Bahnhofstrasse 6 (today Georgiring) in Leipzig and the summer residence in Abtnaundorf.[3] Among the guests were Robert and Clara Schumann, Heinrich and Elizabeth von Herzogenberg, Conrad and Constanze Schleinitz, Felix Mendelssohn, Joseph Joachim, Otto Nicolai, August Pohlenz and Hermann Hartel.[6] A choir association with around 50 members regularly gathered in their house in the 1850s and 1860s.[3] Livia Frege also used the Paulinerkirche for performances by her choir.
In June 1848 together with Julius Rietz, Ferdinand David and Heinrich Behr, Frege organized a charitable concert to support factory workers from Saxony where she performed works by Mendelssohn (An die Entfernte from Op. 71 No. 3) and Rietz (Was singt und sagt ihr mir and Elfe).[6] The concerts held at Freges have influenced and to a great extent formed the tastes of the private music society.[6] So, the Wagner's biographer Friedrich Glasenapp held Frege family and some other private musical circles accountable for Richard Wagner's rather unimpressive reception in Leipzig.[10]
Personal lifeedit
In 1836 Livia Gerhardt married the lawyer Woldemar Frege. Her husband came from a very wealthy and important Leipzig merchant family.[3] Livia and Woldemar Frege had two sons. The first, Viktor, died in 1841 at a young age. The second, Arnold Woldemar von Frege-Weltzin, later became a member of the Saxon Landtag and Reichstag.[3]
Frege was friends with Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy,[3] Robert and Clara Schumann[11] as well as Ferdinand David and was also in a lively correspondence with Franz Liszt.[3]
Honorsedit
At the golden wedding anniversary in 1886, the Frege family received the hereditary title of nobility from King Albert of Saxony.[4]
Several works are dedicated to Livia Frege, including:[6]
Felix Mendelssohn, Sechs Lieder op.57
Heinrich Marschner, Der Gefangene, for solo voice and pianoforte op.141 (first edition 1849)
Robert Schumann, Op. 36, 6 Gedichte (1840), (first edition in 1842)
Robert Schumann, Op. posth. 142, 4 Gesänge (1852), (first edition in 1858
Clara Schumann, 6 Lieder from "Jucunde" von Hermann Rollet for solo voice with pianoforte op. 23 (composed 1853, first edition 1856).[6]
Referencesedit
^"Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875) on Hyperion Records". Hyperion Records. Retrieved 2021-06-06.
^"[Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, Felix. (1809–1847)] [Rietz, Julius. (1812–1877)] Frege, Livia. (1818–1891) Original 1849 Program including first Leipzig performance of Mendelssohn's". Schubertiade Music & Arts. Retrieved 2021-06-06.
^ abcdefLortzing und Leipzig: Musikleben zwischen Öffentlichkeit, Bürgerlichkeit und Privatheit. Thomas Schipperges, Hochschule für Musik und Theater "Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy" Leipzig, Albert-Lortzing-Gesellschaft. Hildesheim. 2014. pp. 77–92. ISBN978-3-487-15148-9. OCLC 908681111.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: others (link)
^Herloßsohn, George Carl Reginald (1835). Damen Conversations Lexikon. Herausgegeben im Verein mit Gelehrten ... von C. H. (in German). pp. 397–398.
^Forbes, Elizabeth (2001), "Frege [née Gerhard], Livia", Oxford Music Online, Oxford University Press, doi:10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.10191, retrieved 2021-06-06
^Reich, Nancy B. (1988). Clara Schumann : the artist and the woman. Internet Archive. Ithaca : Cornell University Press. ISBN978-0-8014-9388-1.
^Glasenapp, Friedrich (1905). Das Leben Richard Wagners. Vol. 3. Leipzig. pp. 398–399.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
^Wolff, Ernst (1906). Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy. Robarts - University of Toronto. Berlin, "Harmonie" Verlagsgesellschaft für Literatur und Kunst.
January 01, 1970
livia, frege, virginia, née, gerhardt, june, 1818, gera, august, 1891, abtnaundorf, german, singer, soprano, prima, donna, leipzig, stadttheater, arts, patron, founder, leipzig, bach, society, referred, queen, leipzig, romantic, song, singing, frege, best, kno. Virginia Livia Frege nee Gerhardt 13 June 1818 Gera 22 August 1891 Abtnaundorf was a German singer soprano 1 Prima Donna of the Leipzig Stadttheater arts patron 2 and co founder of the Leipzig Bach Society She was referred to as the Queen of Leipzig s romantic song singing 3 Frege is best known for her performances of the works by Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy 3 Her repertoire included songs by Heinrich Marschner Franz Schubert Robert Schumann and Mendelssohn Livia FregeBornVirginia Livia Gerhardt 1818 06 13 13 June 1818Gera GermanyDied22 August 1891 1891 08 22 aged 73 Abtnaundorf GermanyOccupationSopranoYears active1832 1836 Contents 1 Early life and education 2 Career 3 Personal life 4 Honors 5 ReferencesEarly life and education editLivia Gerhardt was a daughter of the businessman Johann Christian Gerhardt 1764 1839 and Anna Christiane Friederike Bartholomai 4 She was trained as a soprano by Christian August Pohlenz in Leipzig In 1834 she took lessons from the singer Wilhelmine Schroder Devrient in Dresden in order to perfect her skills 5 Career editLivia Gerhardt made her debut on 9 July 1832 at the age of 14 in the Leipzig Gewandhaus in a concert by Clara Wieck with an aria and a duet by Ferdinando Paer 5 In October 1832 Livia Gerhardt received the position of second concert singer at the Gewandhaus in Leipzig 4 The next year in 1833 she debuted as Amazili in Louis Spohr s Jessonda 6 In the following two years she performed 32 roles including Julia in I Capuleti e i Montecchi by Vincenzo Bellini Alice in Robert le diable by Giacomo Meyerbeer Page Cherubin in The Marriage of Figaro by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Rosine in The Barber of Seville by Gioachino Rossini and others 7 In spring 1835 she made a guest appearance at the Weimar Theater and in July 1835 received an engagement at the Konigsstadtische Theater in Berlin 5 In 1835 1836 she was singing at the Berlin Royal Opera Gerhardt went back to Leipzig after her marriage in 1836 with the lawyer Woldemar Frege and ended her stage career at the age of 18 8 Livia Frege only appeared occasionally after her marriage mostly at charity and church concerts and in 1843 sang the role of Peri in the world premiere of Schumann s oratorio Das Paradies und die Peri op 50 9 Freges regularly welcomed musicians and their friends in their apartment at Bahnhofstrasse 6 today Georgiring in Leipzig and the summer residence in Abtnaundorf 3 Among the guests were Robert and Clara Schumann Heinrich and Elizabeth von Herzogenberg Conrad and Constanze Schleinitz Felix Mendelssohn Joseph Joachim Otto Nicolai August Pohlenz and Hermann Hartel 6 A choir association with around 50 members regularly gathered in their house in the 1850s and 1860s 3 Livia Frege also used the Paulinerkirche for performances by her choir In June 1848 together with Julius Rietz Ferdinand David and Heinrich Behr Frege organized a charitable concert to support factory workers from Saxony where she performed works by Mendelssohn An die Entfernte from Op 71 No 3 and Rietz Was singt und sagt ihr mir and Elfe 6 The concerts held at Freges have influenced and to a great extent formed the tastes of the private music society 6 So the Wagner s biographer Friedrich Glasenapp held Frege family and some other private musical circles accountable for Richard Wagner s rather unimpressive reception in Leipzig 10 Personal life editIn 1836 Livia Gerhardt married the lawyer Woldemar Frege Her husband came from a very wealthy and important Leipzig merchant family 3 Livia and Woldemar Frege had two sons The first Viktor died in 1841 at a young age The second Arnold Woldemar von Frege Weltzin later became a member of the Saxon Landtag and Reichstag 3 Frege was friends with Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy 3 Robert and Clara Schumann 11 as well as Ferdinand David and was also in a lively correspondence with Franz Liszt 3 Honors editAt the golden wedding anniversary in 1886 the Frege family received the hereditary title of nobility from King Albert of Saxony 4 Liviastrasse in Leipzig s Waldstrasse district was named after Livia Frege in 1889 4 Several works are dedicated to Livia Frege including 6 Felix Mendelssohn Sechs Lieder op 57 Heinrich Marschner Der Gefangene for solo voice and pianoforte op 141 first edition 1849 Robert Schumann Op 36 6 Gedichte 1840 first edition in 1842 Robert Schumann Op posth 142 4 Gesange 1852 first edition in 1858 Clara Schumann 6 Lieder from Jucunde von Hermann Rollet for solo voice with pianoforte op 23 composed 1853 first edition 1856 6 References edit Hans Christian Andersen 1805 1875 on Hyperion Records Hyperion Records Retrieved 2021 06 06 Mendelssohn Bartholdy Felix 1809 1847 Rietz Julius 1812 1877 Frege Livia 1818 1891 Original 1849 Program including first Leipzig performance of Mendelssohn s Schubertiade Music amp Arts Retrieved 2021 06 06 a b c d e f g h Tartz Ute January 2011 Livia Virginia Frege research uni leipzig de Retrieved 2021 06 06 a b c d Frege Livia Virginia geborene Gerhardt Detailseite Frauenportrats www leipzig de in German Retrieved 2021 06 06 a b c Livia Frege Schumann Portal www schumann portal de Retrieved 2021 06 06 a b c d e f Lortzing und Leipzig Musikleben zwischen Offentlichkeit Burgerlichkeit und Privatheit Thomas Schipperges Hochschule fur Musik und Theater Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy Leipzig Albert Lortzing Gesellschaft Hildesheim 2014 pp 77 92 ISBN 978 3 487 15148 9 OCLC 908681111 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint location missing publisher link CS1 maint others link Herlosssohn George Carl Reginald 1835 Damen Conversations Lexikon Herausgegeben im Verein mit Gelehrten von C H in German pp 397 398 Forbes Elizabeth 2001 Frege nee Gerhard Livia Oxford Music Online Oxford University Press doi 10 1093 gmo 9781561592630 article 10191 retrieved 2021 06 06 Reich Nancy B 1988 Clara Schumann the artist and the woman Internet Archive Ithaca Cornell University Press ISBN 978 0 8014 9388 1 Glasenapp Friedrich 1905 Das Leben Richard Wagners Vol 3 Leipzig pp 398 399 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint location missing publisher link Wolff Ernst 1906 Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy Robarts University of Toronto Berlin Harmonie Verlagsgesellschaft fur Literatur und Kunst Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Livia Frege amp oldid 1196146091, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
