Erma Zarska Explained

Erma Zarska
Other Names:Heřma Žárská, Erma Zareska
Birth Name:Hermína Maria Žárská
Birth Date:9 June 1889
Birth Place:Olomouc, Austria-Hungary
Death Place:Prague, Czechoslovakia
Nationality:Czech
Occupation:Opera singer

Heřma Žárská (born Hermína Maria Žárská, in English known as Erma Zarska or Erma Zareska; 9 June 1889 – 30 March 1971) was a Czech opera singer. She was soprano with the Metropolitan Opera in the 1915–1916 season. She also sang with the National Theatre in Prague and the Slovak National Theatre.

Personal life

Hermína Maria Žárská was born in Olomouc, the daughter of Ignác Žárský, a blacksmith and carriage builder.[1] She trained as a singer in Prague and Berlin.[2] In the years 1913-1914, she studied singing at the Stern Conservatory in Berlin with Alfredo Cairati.[3]

Zarska died in Prague in 1971, aged 81 years.

Career

Zarska sang at the Prague National Theatre as a young woman,[4] [5] in Hubička, Dalibor, and The Bartered Bride, all operas by Smetana. She made her debut with the Metropolitan Opera in New York in November 1915;[6] [7] however, "a severe cold" affected her voice, and it failed during her debut performance in Lohengrin. "At the end she was singing almost in a whisper," according to the New York Times reviewer.[8] Emmy Destinn returned to the Met to take over the role while Zarska recovered.[9]

Zarska also sang the role of Santuzza in the Met's production of Cavalleria rusticana in February 1916, with Sophie Braslau singing another part.[10] [11] During the run of Rusticana, she had a further embarrassment on stage, when her daring gown's shoulder strap slipped and "the audience saw a great deal of Erma", according to reports.[12] She returned to Europe at the end of that season, when her contract was not renewed.[13]

She made recordings for Columbia in 1916.[14] [15] She was a soloist with the Slovak National Theatre in the 1921–1922 season.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Ignác Žárský – Historické kočáry. cs. 2020-05-13.
  2. Web site: Heřma Žárska, dramatická sopranistka s farebným sopránom a osobným čarom. 2019-06-09. Opera Slovakia. sk. 2020-05-13.
  3. https://en.operaplus.cz/opera-plus-retro-no-2-herma-zarska-a-czech-star-at-the-met-audio/ Operaplus.cz. (n.d.). Opera Plus Retro No. 2: Herma Zárská - A Czech Star at the Met
  4. News: 1915-10-18. Two Opera Singers Arrive. 9. The New York Times. 2020-05-13. Newspapers.com.
  5. News: 1915-11-12. Name Like Roll of Drum. 7. The Wilkes-Barre Record. 2020-05-13. Newspapers.com.
  6. December 1915. Season of Grand Opera Opens at the Metropolitan. The Theatre. 22. 284–285.
  7. November 1915. New Members of the Metropolitan Opera. Opera Magazine. 2. 15.
  8. News: 1915-11-27. New Singer's Voice Fails at her Debut. 15. The New York Times. 2020-05-12. Newspapers.com.
  9. News: 1915-12-21. Metropolitan Opera House. 6. The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. 2020-05-13. Newspapers.com.
  10. Book: Fitzgerald, Gerald. Annals of the Metropolitan Opera: The Complete Chronicle of Performances and Artists. 2016-06-11. Springer. 978-1-349-11976-9. 243.
  11. News: 1916-02-03. Erma Zarska Reappears. 7. The New York Times. 2020-05-13. Newspapers.com.
  12. News: 1916-02-15. Her Suspender Slipped. 3. The Washington Herald. 2020-05-13. Newspapers.com.
  13. News: 1916-05-23. More French Song in Coming Opera. 9. The Sun. 2020-05-13. Newspapers.com.
  14. Book: Downes, Olin. The Lure of Music: Depicting the Human Side of Great Composers, with Stories of Their Inspired Creations. 1918. Harper & Brothers. 300. 9780897654326.
  15. 15 August 1916. Record Bulletins for September 1916. The Talking Machine World. 12. 100.