Claire Gerhardt-Schultheß (Soprano)

Born: July 31, 1887 - Zürich, Switzerland
Died: March 14, 1968 - London, England

The Swiss soprano, Claire Gerhardt-Schulthess, spent the major part of her life and the height of her career in Leipzig. Her specialty and greatness was in opera, her exceptional roles were Carmen, Madame Butterfly, The Daughter of the Regiment (Die Regimentstochter) and the Queen of Night (Koenigin der Nacht) in Die Zauberfloete. She was famous for her Koloratur with perfect pitch even in the difficult places. The sheer loveliness of her voice that very touching, expressed so much, and had a special glow. It was a luminous voice, it lit up the music with its purity and always touched the listener's heart. In the dark, war-torn mid-1940's Claire sang often in Leipzig radio programmes together with her her 2^nd husband Reinhold Gerhardt, younger brother of the lieder singer Elena Gerhardt. Claire and Reinhold were fondly known as “The Radio Gerhardts”.

Claire Gerhardt-Schulthess's first husband was Ludwig Daxl-Hansen, Hansen being his artist’s name. He was an actor at the theater and later Intendant at the Meiningen theater in Thuringia, Germany. They had 2 sons, Hans-Wolfgang and the younger Helmut. In 1948, after World War II, she moved from Leipzig to London, with her 2^nd husband Reinhold Gerhardt. They lived at flat 6, Netherhall Gardens, Hampstead, London.

In London Claire Gerhardt-Schulthess gave private singing lessons. She was a vivacious person, outgoing, with winning charm, spoke 4 languages, broadly educated, immensely knowledgeable in things of and other than music. When she came to a room something changed in the atmosphere: there was bounce, life, sprightliness, excitement.

Source: Rainer Daxl (grandson of Claire Gerhardt-Schulthess, December 2007, January 2009)
Contributed by Rainer Daxl (December 2006, January 2009)

Recordings of Bach Cantatas & Other Vocal Works

Conductor

As

Works

Karl Straube

Soprano

Radio: BWV 17, BWV 176

Links to other Sites