Heinrich Sontheim

Heinrich Sontheim (1820–1912), also known as Honas Bär Sontheimer, was a prominent late-19th-Century tenor and kammersänger (chamber singer) based in Stuttgart, Germany.

Heinrich Sontheim
Heinrich Sontheim portrait
Born(1820-02-03)February 3, 1820
Jebenhausen, Wuerttemberg, Germany
Diedca. 1912
Germany
OccupationTenor
Title"The King of Tenors"
Parent(s)Moses Loeb Sontheimer and Ruchele Rosenheim

Personal life

Sontheim was born on 3 February 1820 in Jebenhausen, Wuerttemberg, Germany. His parents were Moses Loeb Sontheimer and Ruchele Rosenheim.[1] A convert to Protestant Christianity as a young man, Sontheim returned to Judaism in 1847, following the death of his non-Jewish wife. He was a first cousin twice removed of Albert Einstein.[2]

Singing career

Coached from an early age, Sontheim earned international acclaim in the mid-to-late 19th Century. He was hailed in Germany as "The King of Tenors".[3] He was known for his roles, among others, as Eléazar in Halévy's La Juive and the title role in Rossini's Otello. He was given a contract with the Stuttgart Opera, where he sang from 1850–1872. His appearances in Vienna as Eléazar secured his international reputation.[4]

References

[5] [6] [7]

  1. Aron Tanzer (1988). Die Geschichte der Juden in Jebenhausen und Göppingen (The History of Jews in Jebenhausen and Göppingen). Weissenhorn, Germany: Anton H. Konrad Verlag. pp. 197–198, 378–379. [in German]
  2. Tänzer, Arnold (1931). "Der Stammbaum Prof. Albert Einsteins". Jüdische Familienforschung (31): 420.
  3. "Die Synagoge in Jebenhausen (Stadt Göppingen)", http://www.alemannia-judaica.de/jebenhausen_synagoge.htm , accessed 12 October 2008. [in German]
  4. Gdal Saleski (2006). Famous Musicians of a Wandering Race. Kessinger. pp. 436–437. ISBN 9781428625167. Retrieved 12 October 2008.
  5. Leo Adler (1916). Heinrich Sontheim: Ein Künstlerleben (Heinrich Sontheim: An Artist's Life). Germany: C. Grüninger. [in German]
  6. "Jews in Jebenhausen and Goppingen: The Wieseneck Villa", http://www.edjewnet.de/spuren/spuren_en.htm#villa, accessed 12 October 2008.
  7. http://www.freunde-juedischer-kultur-esslingen.de/Veranstaltungen/Veranstaltungen_2007/Tenor_Sontheim/tenor_sontheim.html, accessed 12 October 2008. [in German]


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