Joseph Schmidt M'Appari

The tiny 1.5m figure of Joseph Schmidt performing the last part of M'Appari. As a Jew, Schmidt was banned from appearing in Nazi Europe mid 1930s on, then fled Germany for Austria and Belgium before spending some time hiding in Vichy France. He escaped to Switzerland in October 1942, but was refused entry so entered illegally and was placed in an internment/work camp. Complained of chest pains but the local hospital said he was faking it. Died of heart failure a couple of days later in November 1942. In this sense Schmidt was a victim of Nazi persecution and of Swiss indifference to his plight. Note the extra High B he interpolates into this aria.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Joseph
• Schmidt
• Tenor
• M'Appari
• Flotow
• Opera
• Holocaust

[vkaminsky]

I have a question for Duke, how does a pig learn to write?

[796824]

Schmidt was absolutely brilliant again, no one to match him. How fortunate to have these clips.

[420billion]

Magnificent!

[delosreyesgavikanes]

Joseph Schmidt has a very beautiful voice, but his time was not right. He was Jewish during the Hittler era and discriminated by the opera houses because he was not tall, actually a little over 5 feet tall; not an excuse, but unfortunatelly that was the case. Thanks God that now with youtube we can enjoy his voice

[Coupal1]

@vkaminsky - Bravo, well said. Some people are just stupid (and more). Duke is not fit to clean Schmidt's boots.

[2001donnie]

Have been listening to him on utube. A real gem. He is wonderful. Reminds me of Fritz Wunderlich whose career was also cut short, but for different reasons.

[ilbacioditosca]

Thanks the German and Russian Conservatories with high education that created such a talents. People who had that oportunity to educate have to respect that. Emigrants are all over the world but great composers and musicians not.

Only few places gave the best. Theses places are the places where people who looks education want to be. Even traveling from one continent to other.

[cierwen]

Joseph Schmidt was my father's favourite tenor and it's a pity YouTube wasn't around when he was still alive. All his Christmases would have come at once. You don't happen to have a clip of the whole song, do you?

[AmericanCallas]

Nice to hear it in its original German, I was expecting Italian.