Alfred Poell (Baritone)

Born: March 18, 1900 - Linz/Donau, Austria
Died: March 18, 1968 - Vienna, Austria

The Austrian baritone, Alfed Poell (Pöll), studied medicine at the University of Innsbruck, passed the state examination, attained a doctorate there, and became then a specialist for neck and laryngeal diseases. However, he finally took up singing studies at the Wiener Musikakademie with Philipp Forstén and with Joseph von Manowarda.

Alfed Poell made his debut in 1929 at the Opera House of Düsseldorf, where he appeared for ten years. He participated there, among other things, in the premiere of the opera Simplicius Simplicissimus by Ludwig Maurick with in March 1938). In 1940 he followed a call to the Vienna State Opera of Vienna, whose member he remained up to the end of his career. His appearances at Milan’s Las Scala, at the Covent Garden Opera of London, at the Grand Opéra of Paris (1953) and at other big European stages brought him shining successes, in particular for his Mozart singing.

Alfed Poell also had big success at the Festivals of Salzburg and Glyndebourne. In Salzburg he sang in 1942-1943 and 1947 Lamoral in Arabella, in August 1948 in the premiere of the opera Le vin Herbé by F. Martin, in 1950 Masetto in Don Giovann" and Junius in The Rape of Lucretia by B. Britten, in 1951 Arbace in Mozart’s Idomeneo, 1952 the Count in Le Nozze di Figaro and Jupiter in the premiere of Die Liebe der Danaë by R. Strauss (August 1952), in August 1953 in the premiere of Der Prozeß by G. von Einem, in 1954 Ottokar in Freischütz and Harlekin in Ariadne auf Naxos, in 1955 Luna in Pfitzner’s Palestrina", in 1960 Faninal in Rosenkavalier.

Alfed Poell had a very successful career also as a concert and Lieder singer.

Many recording on various labels: HMV (Fidelio), Nixa (Mass in B minor (BWV 232) by J.S. Bach), Vox, Decca (Frau ohne Schatten, Rosenkavalier, Le Nozze di Figaro, Fledermaus, Meistersinger, Freischütz), Vanguard (Zigeunerbaron), Bruno Walter Society (Gunther in Götterdämmerung, Arabella), Olympic (Masetto in Don Giovanni), Vox (Orfeo ed Euridice by J. Haydn), Rococo (9^th Simphony of L.v. Beethoven under Wilhelm Furtwängler), Myto (Arabella, Salzburg 1942), Laudis (Masetto in Don Giovanni, Salzburg 1950).

Source: Operissimo Website, English translation by Aryeh Oron (July 2004); OPERAlmanac Mailing List (by Walter R. Lonis, March 2004)
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (July 2004, October 2004); Manfred Krugmann (Photos 02-09, July 2011)

Recordings of Bach Cantatas & Other Vocal Works

Conductor

As

Works

Herbert von Karajan

Bass

BWV 232

Hermann Scherchen

Bass

BWV 32, BWV 106, BWV 140, BWV 198, BWV 232

Links to other Sites