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HILDEGARD BEHRENS
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| THE LOTTE LEHMANN RING AWARD CEREMONY | |||
 |
Kammersängerin¹ Hildegard Behrens was presented the
coveted Lotte-Lehmann Memorial Ring by Ioan Holender, Director of the
Vienna State Opera, at a special ceremony held in the Opera's elegant
Tea Salon. She came just for the occasion - from Munich where she was
singing two performances of Wagner's Tristan und Isolde at the
historic Prinzregententheater - unaware of the award until two
weeks before the official announcement. Immensely touched by the honor,
she had tears in her eyes as she greeted the guests and accepted their
congratulations. Among those in attendance: Maestro Seiji Ozawa,²
Kammersänger Heinz Zednik, opera expert Marcel Prawy, and
Austrian Federal Theatres Director Georg Springer who was so moved by
the occasion he remarked: "When one sees the sparkle in Ms. Behrens'
eyes... one knows that the Lehmann-Ring is indeed a very beautiful tradition."
Click to see color photo taken at award ceremony. ¹ The title of highest honor given in Austria and Germany to an opera singer . ² Among the renowned conductors with whom Ms. Behrens has had a long association. They last performed together in a concert tour of Japan in March 1999, and will do so again at a concert that will open the Boston Symphony Orchestra's 1999-2000 season. |
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| NEW GUIDELINES FOR THE AWARD | |||
| It was in 1955 that the Solistenverband der Wiener Staatsoper (Association of Artists of the Vienna State Opera) first presented the ring to the soprano Lotte Lehmann whose exceptional artistry redounded to the greater glory of the venerable Opera House. In 1979 the Solistenverband, following Ms. Lehmann's post-humously discovered instructions (see previous story), unanimously awarded the ring to Kammersängerin Leonie Rysanek who held it until her death in 1998, two years past her retirement from the stage. (Her Clytemnestra to Hildegard Behrens' Elektra in the spectacular 1996 Salzburg Festival production marked her last performance.) | |||
 |
In the months preceding the announcement of Ms. Rysanek's bequeathal of
the ring to Ms. Behrens, the Solistenverband formalized a set of
guidelines that would thenceforth govern the bestowal of the ring. IN SUMMARY: The ring shall be awarded to the reigning singer (Sängerin) of the German repertory* at the Vienna State Opera, hers to keep for the rest of her career and to pass on to a successor of her choice upon her retirement from the stage. She may give her decision beforehand to the Management of the Vienna State Opera in a sealed envelope, which shall be kept in the Opera's safety deposit box and become effective only upon her actual retirement. In the event a decision is not made or the holder is unable to make a decision, the right to bestow the ring goes back to the Solistenverband which shall have two months to choose a successor. *The term used is Fachs. In opera, Fach = German for voice "category"and refers to the German system of distinguishing between the various types of singing voice and the operatic roles suitable for each. |
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When during the award ceremony the point was made that henceforth succession
to the ring becomes effective upon the current holder's retirement from
the stage, Ms. Behrens is said to have remarked in her naturally disarming
way and with typical good humor: "But please, you must understand
- I'll be around for a long, long time!" -
GC/FanFaire 1999 This article was based on materials provided by The Vienna State Opera.
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