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Mme. Lancendorff Mezzo Soprano of Metropolitan Opera House A/T ME. FRIEDA LANGENDORFF was born in Schlesien, Germany. She was -*• ’ -*■ originally to practice painting, as she studied that art thoroughly, but having inherited considerable talent for acting from her mother, her most ardent wish was to go on the stage, and when her talent as a singer was one day accidentally discovered by a friend, Mme. Langendorff was allowed to study singing and was only enabled to accept her first Professional engagement seven years ago, at the opera in Strassburg, Germany, where she remained three years. From Strassburg, Mme. Langendorff went to Prague, where Mr. August Spannuth, of the New York Staats Zeitung, heard her sing the part of “Ortrud” in Lohengrin, and immediately informed his friend, Heinrich Conried, of the Metropolitan Opera House, (and, as he expressed it) that in Mme. Langendorff he had found at last his long wanted first-class Wagnerian singer, and she was immediately engaged to appear at the Metropolitan Opera Ho(^c for the season of 1907 and 1908. Mme. Langendorff sang in the Royal Opera at Berlin, Vienna, Dresden, Ham burg, Wiesbaden et al., and she appeared as “ Ortrud,” “ Dides,” “ Frica,” “Bran- gane,” “ Adriana,” “ Azucena,” “ Dalila,” “ Amneris ” and “ Africaine.” The extraordinary ränge of Mme. Langendorff’s voice also enabled her to sing high dramatic soprano parts, such as “Brunnhilde” (Walküre), “Erda” and “ Fidelio.” In the year 1904, Mme. Langendorff also sang “ Walküre ” at Bayreuth, and Madam Wagner was so interested in her voice that she coached Mme. Langen dorff, herseif (assisted by the famous Prof. Kniese), the parts of “Venus” and “ Frica.” 15
