dc:identifier=httphdllocgovlocpnpggbain18432

Melanie Kurt, [at piano] (LOC)

from The Library of Congress

• Pixel Wrangler said:

  A NEW GERMAN SOPRANO Mme. Melanie Kurt Appears at the Metropolitan Opera in "Tristan" The Metropolitan Opera House has acquired a remarkably fine artist in Mme. Melanie Kurt, the German dramatic soprano, who made her first appearance here last evening in a performance of "Tristan and Isolde". — The New York Times, February 2, 1915   Melanie Kurt (1880–1941) was an Austrian opera singer (soprano). She first studied to become a pianist in her native City of Vienna before starting to take singing lessons. From 1897 to 1900 she only appeared as a pianist. Later she went to Berlin, and London where she studied and performed with renowned opera singers. In 1914 she was at the peak of her career when she joined the Metropolitan Opera in New York City, where she succeeded Olive Fremstad as the company's leading Wagner soprano for three years. When America entered World War I in 1917, Wagner operas were banned as being too German. Torn by the war, Kurt remained in the US until 1919 before returning to Germany. — Excerpted from Wikipedia.

• pennylrichardsca (now at ipernity) said:

  Her wikipedia entry: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melanie_Kurt