Lehmann, Lilli (Elisabeth-Maria), married Lehmann-Kalisch

Opera singer (soprano)

born: 24.11.1848 in Würzburg

Died: 17.05.1929 in Berlin

Lehmann received her training from her mother, who was herself a singer and harpist in Prague. She made her debut at the Deutsches Landestheater in Prague in 1867.

Her career took her via the stages in Danzig and Leipzig to the Berlin Court Opera as a coloratura soprano, where she also sang highly dramatic roles from 1870 and also made guest appearances in Bayreuth. She was a member of the Vienna State Opera from 1882. When she ended her unique career in Vienna in 1910, she had shone in a total of 170 roles, proving herself as a sought-after lieder and oratorio singer and singing teacher.

From 1896, she was a guest at the May Festival in Wiesbaden, which was organized for the first time "on the highest orders". In 1899, she sang Brünnhilde in the first complete performance of Richard Wagner's "Ring des Nibelungen" at this festival. In her autobiography, she writes in the chapter "Intermezzo": "Anyone who has ever attended these Wiesbaden May Festivals will not easily forget them. The festively decorated city in the most lavish spring splendor; many exquisite artists united under the amiable scepter of Georg von Hülsen, Hans Richter and Ernst von Schuch as conductors; heralds announcing the Emperor in the theater with fanfares; the Emperor himself in the most cheerful mood, making everything around him happy, together gave a picture of the most pleasant joy".