Maria Olszewska

as Princess " Sour Angelica" Puccini

Maria Olszewska
( Marie Berchtenbreitner)
1892 – 1969
German contralto

Studied singing in Munich with Karl Erler She made her first opera appearance in 1915 as the Page in Richard Wagner's Tannhäuser at the opera house in Krefeld. Soon after she was engaged at the Oper Leipzig up through 1919. Left Leipzig to join the Hamburg State Opera, where she was engaged from 1919-1922. While there she notably portrayed Brigitta/Lucienne in the world première of Erich Wolfgang Korngold's Die tote Stadt on 4 December 1920. While singing in Hamburg she was appointed to the roster of artists at the Vienna State Opera (VSO) in 1921 where she sang through 1923. She was a member of the Bavarian State Opera in Munich from 1923–1925, after which she returned to the VSO from 1925-1930. Appeared frequently as a guest artist at opera houses around the world. Taught at the University of Music and Performing Arts, Vienna and in 1948 she became a lecturer at the Vienna State Opera. She retired from the stage in 1955, after which she devoted her time to teaching.