Opera Singer. Erna Berger studied with Melitta Hirzel and Hertha Boeckel making her stage debut at the Dresden Staatsoper in 1925. She stayed with the company until 1928 singing many small roles at first, including a part in the World Premier of Busoni's "Doktor Faust" in 1925. By 1926 she was given larger parts and in 1927 she sung the title role of Paul Graener's "Hannales Himmelfahrt" at the World Premier, as well as smaller roles in the World Premiers of Strauss's "Agyptische Helena (1928) and Lothar's "Lrd Spleen" (1930) In 1929 she appeared at the Stadische Opera in Berlin as a guest and in the same year, she sung under Arturo Toscanini at Bayreuth. (Forst Bird in "Siegfried") By 1934 she reached the Berlin Staatsoper, where she made her debut in Bizet's "Pearl Fishers." With a secure career, Berger began to accept more guest appearances, Vienna Staatsoper in 1938, Hamburg and Munich in the mid 1940's. She also sung at the Salzburg Festival in 1932, as well as 1953-54. The Metropolitan Opera called, where she sung regularly from 1949-1953 and Covent Garden 1934-1947. She also made more brief guest appearances in Paris, Rome, Oslo, Brussels, Bucharest and Barcelona. The soprano retired in 1955 and died in Essen, 1990. Berger had an exquisite voice and is best remembered through her many recordings, her very best roles being Zerbinetta, The Queen of the Night, Gilda and Sophie.
Opera Singer. Erna Berger studied with Melitta Hirzel and Hertha Boeckel making her stage debut at the Dresden Staatsoper in 1925. She stayed with the company until 1928 singing many small roles at first, including a part in the World Premier of Busoni's "Doktor Faust" in 1925. By 1926 she was given larger parts and in 1927 she sung the title role of Paul Graener's "Hannales Himmelfahrt" at the World Premier, as well as smaller roles in the World Premiers of Strauss's "Agyptische Helena (1928) and Lothar's "Lrd Spleen" (1930) In 1929 she appeared at the Stadische Opera in Berlin as a guest and in the same year, she sung under Arturo Toscanini at Bayreuth. (Forst Bird in "Siegfried") By 1934 she reached the Berlin Staatsoper, where she made her debut in Bizet's "Pearl Fishers." With a secure career, Berger began to accept more guest appearances, Vienna Staatsoper in 1938, Hamburg and Munich in the mid 1940's. She also sung at the Salzburg Festival in 1932, as well as 1953-54. The Metropolitan Opera called, where she sung regularly from 1949-1953 and Covent Garden 1934-1947. She also made more brief guest appearances in Paris, Rome, Oslo, Brussels, Bucharest and Barcelona. The soprano retired in 1955 and died in Essen, 1990. Berger had an exquisite voice and is best remembered through her many recordings, her very best roles being Zerbinetta, The Queen of the Night, Gilda and Sophie.
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