Eduard Devrient |

Eduard Devrient

German singer (baritone) and dramatic actor, theatrical figure, music writer. At the age of 17 he began to study at the Singing Academy with K. F. Zelter. In 1819 he made his debut at the Royal Opera (Berlin) (at the same time he acted as a dramatic actor in the Schauspilhaus Theater).

Parts: Thanatos, Orestes (Alcesta, Iphigenia in Tauris by Gluck), Masetto, Papageno (Don Giovanni, The Magic Flute), Patriarch (Joseph by Megul), Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro, Seville barber”), Lord Cockburg (“Fra Diavolo” by Aubert). He performed the title roles in G. Marschner’s operas The Vampire (first production in Berlin, 1831), Hans Geyling.

For the formation of the art of Devrient, the study of the work of the outstanding singers L. Lablache, J. B. Roubini, J. David was of great importance. In 1834, Devrient lost his voice and from that time devoted himself entirely to activities in the drama theater (in 1844-52 he was an actor, director of the court theater in Dresden, in 1852-70 director of the court theater in Karlsruhe).

Devrient also acted as a librettist, wrote the text for W. Taubert’s operas “Kermessa” (1831), “Gypsy” (1834). He was on friendly terms with F. Mendelssohn, wrote memoirs about him (R. Wagner wrote a pamphlet “Mr. Devrient and His Style”, 1869, in which he criticized Devrient’s literary style). Author of several works on the theory and history of the theatre.

Соч.: My memories of F. Mendelssohn-Bartholdy and his letters to me, Lpz., 1868.