Tauber, Richard

born Carl Richard Denemy (1891-1948)

   opera and stage singer; remembered for his renderings of Franz Lehar's operettas. Born in Linz, the illegitimate child of an aspiring actor, he was raised from age six in Germany. At sixteen he left school, and his father, who had charge of him, sent him to study conducting at Frankfurt's Hoch Conservatory. After concluding theoretical training in Freiburg, he began a conducting career. In 1912 his father became intendant of the Neuesstadttheater in Chemnitz. When Tauber sang there in March 1913 as Tamino in The Magic Flute, he met with such success that he received a five-year contract with the Dresden Royal Opera. Under director Ernst von Schuch he performed all the great tenor roles with an ensemble that included Tino Pattiera and Elisabeth Rethberg.

   Although Tauber renewed his Dresden contract in 1918, he was soon ap-pearing in Berlin* and Vienna. Blessed with a lyrical voice, he sang German Lieder (songs) and was soon a darling of both cities. In 1924, when he began performing Lehar's works—for example, Paganini, Friederike, Zarewitsch, and Schon ist die Welt—he earned the ridicule of serious opera devotees, but brought himself and the composer fame and financial success. Singing at Berlin's Me-tropol Theater, he was especially revered for his rendition of the song "Madchen, mein Madchen" from Friederike. After his 1930 film* debut in Dirnenlied, he formed his own company to make Lockende Ziel (End of the rainbow) and Land of Smiles (based on Lehar's work). He toured Britain and the United States in 1931-1932.

   Nonpolitical, Tauber left Germany early in 1933 after being attacked by the SA.* While he made his home in Britain, he appeared in Vienna until the Anschluss. He conducted the London Philharmonic during World War II and also did some composing (he coauthored the operetta Old Chelsea). After the war he performed on Broadway and played a central role in the English film Lisbon Story.

   REFERENCES:Castle, This Was Richard Tauber; Internationales Biographisches Archiv.