Opera Singer, Impresario. A lyric tenor, he won fame on both sides of the Atlantic for his performances in Wagner's operas, notably the title role of "Lohengrin" and as Tristan in "Tristan and Isolde". His repertoire comprised some 150 stage roles, 60 oratorios, and many art songs. Dippel was born in Cassel, Germany, and made his professional debut in "Martha" at the Bremen Opera in 1887. From 1893 to 1898 he sang at the Vienna State Opera, Europe's finest, while making guest appearances at the Bayreuth Festival, London's Covent Garden, and the Metropolitan Opera in New York. He left Vienna after clashing with the Opera's new music director, Gustav Mahler. Moving to the United States, Dippel joined the Metropolitan in 1898 and became its general manager in 1908. Interestingly, in the latter position he again had to work with Mahler, who was appointed conductor there around the same time. After heading the Philadelphia-Chicago Opera from 1910 to 1913, he formed the Andreas Dippel Grand and Light Opera Company and toured the US, particularly the Midwest. His last years were spent as a vocal coach in Hollywood. A handful of Dippel's recordings (made in the early 1900s) survive and are available on CD.
Opera Singer, Impresario. A lyric tenor, he won fame on both sides of the Atlantic for his performances in Wagner's operas, notably the title role of "Lohengrin" and as Tristan in "Tristan and Isolde". His repertoire comprised some 150 stage roles, 60 oratorios, and many art songs. Dippel was born in Cassel, Germany, and made his professional debut in "Martha" at the Bremen Opera in 1887. From 1893 to 1898 he sang at the Vienna State Opera, Europe's finest, while making guest appearances at the Bayreuth Festival, London's Covent Garden, and the Metropolitan Opera in New York. He left Vienna after clashing with the Opera's new music director, Gustav Mahler. Moving to the United States, Dippel joined the Metropolitan in 1898 and became its general manager in 1908. Interestingly, in the latter position he again had to work with Mahler, who was appointed conductor there around the same time. After heading the Philadelphia-Chicago Opera from 1910 to 1913, he formed the Andreas Dippel Grand and Light Opera Company and toured the US, particularly the Midwest. His last years were spent as a vocal coach in Hollywood. A handful of Dippel's recordings (made in the early 1900s) survive and are available on CD.
Bio by: Bobb Edwards
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