Alois Burgstaller

Alois Burgstaller, (September 21, 1872 in Holzkirchen – April 19, 1945) was a German tenor.

Burgstaller was a trained watchmaker, but always loved to sing. His talent was discovered during an amateur theatre performance in church. Alois was encouraged to sing professionally by Cosima Wagner and he made a serious study of Opera. He studied in Frankfurt and at the Bayreuth School under Julius Kniese and made his stage debut in 1894 at the Bayreuth Festival in a small role. Burgstaller performed the roles of Siegfried, Siegmund, Erik and Parsifal at the Bayreuth Festivals in Germany (1896-1902).

Following a promising start, Alois sang all the major roles in Richard Wagner's operas at Bayreuth and in many prominent opera houses - performing around the world in places like Paris, Zurich, Budapest, London, Amsterdam and Moscow.

Alois made his American debut at the Metropolitan Opera in New York playing Siegmund in "Die Walküre" on February 12 1903. Performing throughout the US in San Francisco, Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago, Pittsburgh and Los Angeles he remained on the cast for almost six years. His final performance as Siegmund was on January 14 1909. Burgstaller also sang the title role in the first staged American performance of Richard Wagner's "Parsifal" in New York City on Christmas Eve, December 24 1903.

The performance was in violation of the German copyright law and drew considerable wrath from Cosima Wagner, who was trying to keep exclusive protection for the work at Bayreuth. As a result, Burgstaller, as well as Anton van Rooy and conductor Alfred Hertz, were banned from any further performances at Bayreuth.

He spent his old age in St.Quirin, municipality Gmund at the Tegernsee till his death in 1945. He is buried in his parents at the Holzkirchner cemetery. Alois Burgstaller was given the honor of having the market municipality, wood churches and a road named after him.

References

* http://www.historicopera.com/jbayreuth1_page.htm