1969 THE WINNERS

 
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BIOGRAPHIES

1st Prize Winners

Walker Wyatt

‘The Negro baritone Walker Wyatt hass a good chance of winning the First Prize, given his beautiful voice and his interesting interpetations’ (C. de Jong–Stolle, unidentified Newspaper clipping, September 1969)

American baritone Walker Wyatt, favorite of the Jury, divided the press in that most noted the sheer beauty of his voice, while pointing out that his volume would prohibit him to have a career that would do justice to his Great Prize as best singer of the competition. Time proved them right in so far that Wyatt didn’t become an international star of sorts, although he had a reasonable American career on the concert stages. As it goes today, he is now mostly, if not only, remembered for his singing of Frank in the 1971 RCA edition of Act II of Puccini’s Edgar, with Nancy Stokes as Tigrana, Barry Morell as Edgar, and Anton Guadagno conducting (LP RCA LSC 7096). There’s an ensemble excerpt of ‘Credeasi misera’ from I puritani, with Barry Morell (Arturo) Mimi Mattei (Elvira), Leopold Spitzer (Riccardo), and Wyatt (Ricccardo) on LP ARL 1-0135. In additon, Wyatt is featured on our own 1978 jubillee 2LP set, from which we give the excerpt here:

J.S. Bach: Ich hätte viel Bekummernis (Cantate) ‘Komm, mein Jesu und erquicke’ Walker Wyatt (baritone), soloist of the Wiener Sängerknaben (sopranist), Concentus Musicus Wien – Nicolaus Harnoncourt (LP IVC 25-JAAR B2 )

Should you have additional biographical data, photos and/or recordings by 1969 IVC participant Walker Wyatt, you are most welcome to contact us atThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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Maria Slătinaru

Romanian soprano Maria Slătinaru (Iasi, May 25, 1938) studied with Arta Florescu and Aurel Alexandrescu at the Bucharest Conservatory. Before coming to Den Bosch, she first won the Vocal Competitions of Moscow (1966), and Toulouse in 1968 (some sources say 1967). In 1969 she won First Prize in the Kathleen Ferrier category in den Bosch, which was also the year in which she made her debut with the National Opera Bucharest, as Elisabetta in Verdi’s Don Carlo. A 1970 telecast from Romanian television of her Turandot with IVC 1965 winner Ludovic Spiess as Calaf was preserved, and serves to get an idea of her stage precense, very close to her IVC victory. During the 1970 and 80’s she became the absolute star of the National Opera Bucharest. She soon was a permanent guest of the Vienna State Opera , Liceu Theatre in Barcelona , La Fenice in Venice and La Monnaie in Brussels, Metropolitan New York , Operas in Paris, San Francisco , Munich , Berlin , Hamburg , Melbourne , Toronto , Bordeaux , Toulouse , Basel etc. In addition, we mention the opera houses of Cologne, Karslruhe, Mannheim, Stuttgart, Frankfurt, Wiesbaden, Zurich, the German Oper am Rhein Dusseldorf-Duisburg, and the Théatre de Wallonie in Lüttich. The eminent Romanian opera critic, and author of several books on the subject, Costin Popa, wrote of Slătinaru:

‘I was very young when I first heard the voice of Mary Slătinaru-Nistor, in a production of Don Carlos by Verdi Conservatory . Her soprano voice impressed from the first note by the luxury timbre, which was emboidered in natural silver. It was the voice of an artist of rare harmonic richness – perhaps is, since all her roles are well on Lp’s, Cd’s, and television broadcasts. Between singers, critics and teachers she reminded one of Leontyne Price. Clearly, Maria Slătinaru had the most beautiful soprano voice in a long arc that stretched from the previous decades, to well after she left the stage. In saying this, I mean not only in Romania. A timbre like that is a precious gift, and once it comes with an even register, and interpretative means that enabled her to tackle a wide range of roles in the repertoire of lyrico-spinto, and evend ramatic roles in Italian, German, French and Romanian, it is near unique.’ (Costin Popa, May 25, 2008)

In 1983 she triumped in Basel as well as in the Maggio Musicale Fiorentine as Giorghetta in Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi, one of her most famous roles. In 1984 she was Elisabeth in Wagner’s Tannhäuser in the Rhine Opera of Strassbourg, and appeared I guest performances at the Deutsche oper Berlin. In 1985 she appeared at the San Francisco Opera, as Tosca, a role that her own teacher Art Florescu had studied with the legendary role creator, the Romanian soprano assoluta Hariclea Darclée. She repeatd that role at the Dallas Opera House. In 1990, Slătinaru returned to The Netherlands, in order to perform the title role in La Gioconda for the VARA Matinee. Apart from lyric soprano roles, Slătinaru excelled in dramatic roles such as Abigaille in Verdi’sNabucco, Amelia in Simon Boccanegra, Maddalena in Andrea Chénier, Sieglinde in Die Walküre, Senta in Der fliegende Holländer, Santuzza in Cavalleria Rusticana, Minnie in La fanciulla del West, and Puccini’s Turandot. Slătinaru also made a fine career on the concert platform of Europe. Since 1990, she became a renowned professor at the Academy of Music in Bucharest. Her students included Irina Iordăchescu, † Roxana Briban, Simonida Luţescu, Oana Andra, Laura Nicorescu Camelia, Roxana Constantinescu, Georgiana Marin, Tamara Markovic, Cristina Radu, Mirela Bunoaică.

Discography

Maria Slătinaru made a good number of studio recordings. For Electrecord in Romania, she recorded Leonore in Verdi’s La forza del destino, and the title role in Turandot. For Discover, she recorded Ghirgetta in Pucini’s Il tabarro. In addition, there are a few Electrecord recital LP’s, among then one with German Lieder, and an operatic recital, ‘Arii din Opere,’ with arias from Don Giovanni, Le nozze di Figaro, Freischütz, Fidelio, Don Carlo, Tosca, and Manon Lescaut, and another titled ‘Vissi d’arte.’

Wagner: Wesendocklieder ‘Der Engel’ Maria Slătinaru (soprano) (1982; LP Electrecord Schumann & Wagner)

In addition to her studio discography, there are countless recordings preserved of Slătinaru in her best roles. We mention a 1971 Andrea Chénier (from Bucharest, with Cornel Stavru and Nicolae Herlea), 1989 (from Berlin); 1977 Tosca from Berlin (with Merighi), 1985 (from Frankfurt), 1987 (from Vancouver); 1979 Aida (from Munich, with Cossotto); 1981 Lohengrin (from Barcelona, with Hoffmann and Mastilovic); 1982 Pfitzner’sDer arme Heinrich from Cologne; 1983 Il tabarro (from Florence, with Giacomini), 1984 (from Munich), 1994 (Arena di Verona); 1983La Gioconda (from San Francisco), 1986 (from Berlin, with Lamberti), 1988 (from Berlin, with Bonisolli), 1990 (from Amsterdam); 1984 Cavalleria rusticana from Basel; 1984 Manon Lescaut (Arena di Verona); 1984 Tannhäuser (from Strassbourg); 1985 Fidelio (from Frankfurt, with Jean Cox); 1985 Appearance in ‘Fol de Roi’ (San Francisco, hosted by Jess Thomas; Slătinaru sings La mamma morta); 1988 Il trovatore (from Berlin, with Lamberti).

Videography

Slătinaru’s videography in complete recordings includes a 1970 Turandot (From Bucharest, with Ludvic Spiess, in concert form), a 1980Der fliegende Holländer (Geneve), and a 1987 Tosca (Vancouver). While these are not in the best picture quality, her Giorghetta in Il Tabarro from Florence 1983 exists in excellent quality.

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Else Paaske (ms – DE)

‘Else Paaske is the owner of one of the richest well-schooled voices of the last decades but also as an expressive and penetrating interpreter. Her voice is a true mezzo-soprano which could never be mistaken for a soprano with limited upper range but more contralto-ish. It’s a beautiful rich voice with a perfectly controlled characteristic vibrato. It is used with great sensitivity to the varied requirements of the various songs, and she can be chillingly dramatic with an almost visible intensity. ’ (The description provided by our friends from Bach–Cantatas.com)

Following her Kathleen Ferrier Prize at the 16^TH IVC Den Bosch, alto Else Paaske was Denmark’s greatest musical talent. Ferrier was in fact her role model, Kathleen Ferrier Else Paaskes great role model, along with the Danish national idol, tenor Aksel Schiøtz. Fittingly, she became the first recipient of honorary prize from the Memorial Foundation for Aksel Schiøtz in 1977. Paaske was educated at the Royal Academy of Music with Professor Peer Birch. In the years after her debut, she gave numerous concerts, not only in Denmark but also in other Nordic countries along with Austria, Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Israel and the United States. Thus, her star as a concert singer in Lieder and oratorio rose to considerable heights during the 1970’s, but her career as a singer was short; it lasted from her IVC victory to about 1984, when she took up a teching post at the Royal Danish Academy of Music, following a degree in music education she obtained there as early as 1976. During the short span of her career she was one of the most beautiful altos Denmark had. Her repertoire included, among others music of such composers as Händel, Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Mahler and Heisenberg. Her concerts with pianist Friedrich Gürtler were famous. Paaske did not miss singing, she said when looking back as a 70 years old teacher: ‘I'm fine with my students, and it is in fact a great relief just to listen to others.’ She can be heard in Bach’s Cantatas BWV 94, BWV 46, BWV 179, in the VARA IVC 1969 Winners Recital ( a 1970 Concertgebouw performance in Beethoven’s Mass in C, from 1970, a sample of which is provided elsewhere on this page in the VARA section). In addition there is her Danacord CD anthology, ‘Else Paaske, A Portrait 1967–1983, which represents the full scope of her career. For those who love Lieder, ere we present here a samples medley of that warmly recommended album:

Samples: Skanne fru Beatriz–Chansons de Bilitis ‘La Chevelure’–‘An gang Gudrun’ & ‘Da sagde Gudrun’ – Cantata No. 94 'Was frag ich nach der Welt’–Liederkreis ‘Intermezzo’ & ‘Mondnacht’ Else Paaske (alto) (1967-1983 CD Danacord; A portrait)

Should you have additional biographical data, photos and/or recordings by 1969 IVC participant Else Paaske, you are most welcome to contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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2ND PRIZE WINNERS

 Maurice Brown (bs – CA)

Jan Willem Hofstra thought Maurice Brown to be a baritone rather than a bass, although he complimented him with his singing of ‘’O, hät ich meien Tochter’ from Carl Orff’s Die Kluge, in the finals. In the semi finals Brown competed with Händel’s ‘Thus said the Lord’ from The Messiah, ‘La calunnia’ from Rossini’s Il barbiere di Siviglia, and ‘O Isis und Osiris’ from Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte. Apart from the Orff aria, he obtained his Second prize at the 16^TH IVC with reditions of ‘Ella giamai m’amò’ from Verdi’s Don Carlo, and the Duparc song ‘Phidylé.’ Brown went on to have a mainly Canadian oriented career as a comprimario bass, for we have him as Count Ribbing in a 1970 Vancouver performance ofUn ballo in maschera (with fellow IVC competitors Pauline Tinsley and Michele Molese); as Acciano1982 New York City Opera performance of Verdi’s I Lombardi; as Polonius in a 1985 Canadian performance of Thomas’ Hamlet with fellow IVC 1969 competitor John Bröcheler, and none less a soprano than Joan Sutherland as Ophélie; and finally as Geronte in a 1986 telecast of Puccini’s Manon Lescaut.

Verdi: I Lombardi ‘Splendere vid'io le inique spade!’ (Act II) Maurice Brown (Acciano), New York City Opera – Christopher Keene, 1982

Should you have additional biographical data, photos and/or recordings by 1969 IVC participant Maurice Brown, you are most welcome to contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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Leslie Johnson (s – USA)

Except for her IVC participation and subsequent Second prize, nothing at all is known about any further career development of Leslie Johnson. The (mezzo-) sopranos found under that name are different singers, form a later era.

Should you have additional biographical data, photos and/or recordings by 1969 IVC Winner Leslie Johnson, you are welcome to contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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Karl Markus (t)

‘The German Karl Markus proved an intelligent vocalist.’ (C. de Jong–Stolle, unidentified Newspaper clipping, September 1969)

Karl Markus was born in Bocholt, Germany. He studied music at the Conservtory of Cologne. Apart from his Second prize in Den Bosch he won various other prizes in German competitions. In 1967 he sang two major Mozart roles at the stage of the Aachen Opera, before embarking on a busy concert career that took him all over Germany, Europe, and then also to South-Africa (1968), the USA, and Mexico. He was a renowned as Evangelist in Bach’s Matthaeus Passion and Christmas Oratorio. Other trump cards were Schönberg’s Gurre Lieder, Jánacek’s Glagolitic Mass (under Inbal in Rome), Beethoven’s Miss Solemnis, Schmidt’s Buch der Siebel Siegens, Martin’s In terra pax (with the Munich Philharmonic), and Britten’s War Requiem (in Bochum, under Maga). His core repertoire was made up of Haydn, Händel, Mendelsson etc. He recorded several vinyl discs with Masses, Cantatas, and Lieder. Markus can be heard as Evangelist on the 1983 Hänssler recording of Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, and as Konrad in the 1990 Marco Polo release of Marschner’s Hans Heiling, with fellow IVC winner Magdaléna Hajóssyová as Königin der Erdgeister. In addition, we have him as Walther von der Vogelweide in Wagner’s Tannhäuser from City Theatre Bern, in Oktober 1984.

Marschner: Hans Heiling ‘Gönne mir ein Wort der Liebe’ (Act II) Karl Markus (Konrad),: Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra – Ewald Körner

Bach: Christmas Oratorio ‘Brief excerpts of the Evengelist’s Act I recitatives & aria’ Karl Markus (Evangelist), Stuttgarter Hymnus Chor-Knaben – Gerhard Wilhelm (1983; LP/CD Hänssler)

Should you have additional biographical data, photos and/or recordings by 1969 IVC participant Karl Markus, you are most welcome to contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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Hubert Waber (bs – NL)

VIDEO SAME AS IN 1968

‘Maastricht born Hubert Waber revealed a splendid timbre in ‘The trumpet shall sound,’ from Händel, an aria that he performed with amazing ease. Likewise his renditions of Poulenc’s ‘Le bestiaire,’ and aria’s by Verdi and Halévy.’ (L. Sch., unidentified newspaper clipping, 1968)

Hubert Waber was born on April 3, 1938 in Heer, Maastricht, Limburg. Initially, he was employed in the graphic industry, in a printing facility. Once he discovered his deep, dark, bass voice, he trained with Leo Ketelaars in Maastricht. In 1966 he debuted as Ramfis in Aïda on the stage of the Zuid-Nederlandse Opera (South-Dutch Opera). For a while, he sang with the Wiener Kammeroper, where he debuted in 1967, in Mozart’s La finta semplice. This was also the year in which his steady engagement with the Dutch National Opera started. His winning the Encouragement Prize at the IVC 1968 was to be followed by a Second Prize in 1969. On his 1968 appearance, C. de Jong–Stolle wrote:

‘The Dutch bass Hubert Waber from Maastricht cut a fine figure. His voice has a splendid color, he sings with ease, and is very musical.’

In 1969, Waber returned to the IVC and obtained the Second prize in the Jos Orelio category. In 1970, Waber was among the prizewinners in the Montréal Vocal Competition. His term with the Dutch National Opera culminated in portrayals of Donizetti’s Don Pasquale, and Osmin in Mozart’sDie Entführung aus dem Serail. Other roles in his repertoire were Philips II in Verdi’s Don Carlo, Sarastro in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte, Méphistophélès in Gounod’s Faust, and Varlaam in Mussorgsky’s Boris Godunov. Beyond the mentioned engagements, he made guest appearances with the Deutsche Oper am Rhein in Düsseldorf-Duisburg. Waber was also a noted concert bass.

Should you have additional biographical data, photos and/or recordings by 1969 IVC participant Hubert Waber, you are most welcome to contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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PRIZE ‘DUTCH MUSICAL INTERESTS’

 Geneviève Perreault (ms– CA)

Since some years, also non Dutch singers had come to understand that there was a lot to win in terms of Dutch song, once they discovered that most of these weren’t composed in Dutch, but either in German or French. Thus, Germaine Perreault managed to get hold of the Prize of the Foundation for Dutch Musical Interests, with a performance of Henriette Bosmans’ ‘Complainte du petite cheval blanc.’ Of Perreault little is known except that she combined singing with professionally playing the piano. A few index listings from between 1965 and 1985 suggest that she did have a local career, although she was still entering vocal competitions in June, 1974, when she participated in the Montréal International Voice Competition, where she was among four Canadians to pass to the second round. Other than that, nothing is known of Geneviève Perreault.

Should you have additional biographical data, photos and/or recordings by 1969 IVC participant Geneviève Perreault, you are most welcome to contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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GERMAN EMBASSY PRIZE

Wolfgang Schöne (Bass-Baritone)

‘An excellent singer.’ (Jan Willem Hofstra, De Volkskrant, September 1969)

The German bass-baritone, Wolfgang Schöne (Bad Gandersheim, February 9, 1940), studied at the conservatories of Hannover and Hamburg from 1964 to 1969. His principal teacher was Naan Pöld. From 1966 onwards, Schöne won prizes at various international vocal competition ranging from the one n Rio de Janeiro to Bordeaux, Berlin, Stuttgart, and ‘s Hertogenbosch. After that, his career took off and csschöne soon became one of the leading ontepreters of German Lieder and oratorio, while also active on the operatic stage, in lyric baritone roles. He was a solist in the movie ‘Die Chronik der Anna Magdalena Bach,’ and as an interpreter of Bach, oratoria, and Lieder he sang in Belgium The Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, France, USA, mexico, Argentina, and so on. His career as an opera singer started in 1970 with the Eutin Festsoiele, as Ottokar in Der Freischütz. Guest contract followed with the Stuttgart Opera (1973-82), Vienna (from 1974 onards), Hamburg (from 1975 onwards), uppertal and Lübeck (debut 1970 as Graf in Figaro’s Hochzeit). In 1976 he sang at the Munich State Opera in the world premiere of Josef Tal’s Die Versuchung. Schöne’s first appearance with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra was in 1979 in a concert of J.S. Bach’s Mass in B minor (BWV 232) conducted by Helmuth Rilling (with whom he also recorded many Bach cantatas). In 1983 he participated int hr world premiere of Henze’s Die Englische Katze, creating the part of Tom. In 1984 he sang Golo in Pelléas et Mélisande in berlin. Also in 1984, he sang Don Giovanni for the re-inauguration of the Stuttgart Opera. In 1980 he participated in the world premiere of Reutter’s Hamlet, in 1992 in the world premiere of Reimann’s Das Schloss, creating Josef K. He also sang at the Salzburg Festival. In 1978 he was awarded the honorary title of Kammersänger. Whereas most careers have by now ended, it speaks for the immaculate technique of Schöne that he is still singing at the time of writing, and by no means in small parts of song. We mention just a 2013 Alberich in Götterdämmerung, from Niedersächsische Musiktage!

Wolfgang Schöne's extremely wide repertoire includes over 40 operatic roles and concert works from Monteverdi to Henze and Penderecki. He has played a dicisive part in the recording of all J.S. Bach’s sacred cantatas under Helmuth Rilling, and for many years has been one of the team of lecturers at the Bach Academy in Stuttgart. He sings the title role in Rilling’s recording of Felix Mendelssohn’s Elijah. His recordings include Bach-Cantatas with Claudius-Verlag; Schütz MAtthaeus Passion (Cantata), Haydn’s Theresienmesse (BASF), Bach’s Hohe Messe (CBS), Amfortas in Parsifal (Erato), Dittersdorf’s Doktor und Apotheker (RBM), Mozart’s Zaïde (Orfeo), Händel’s Giulio Cesare (DGG), Richard Strauss’ Die Schweigsame Frau (HMV), Berg’s Lulu (EMI), J.C. Bach’s Amadis de Gaulle (Hänssler), Mendelssohn’s Elias (Hänsler), Fanny Mendelssohn’s Oratorium auf Worte aus der Bibel, Lilly Boulanger’s Psalmen (Carus), Weber’s Der Freischütz (Thorn-Video).

Where the above is just a partial selection from Schöne’s official discography, there are also an array of live recordings,  the most important ones cn be found on his 401DutchDivas portrait.

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Young Talent prize ‘Toonkunst’

 John Bröcheler (bt – NL)

‘John Bröcheler, who decidedly demonstrated his great talent, was not allowed to pass to the finals. Given the Jury’s tolerant criteria with repect to others, this was a great dissapointment.’

John Bröcheler was born on February 21, in Vaals, The Netherlands. He is the nephew of the renowned baritone Caspar Bröcheler. John Bröcheler started his studies with Leo Ketelaars at the Maastricht Conservatory. He took additional lessons with Pierre Bernac in Paris. Initially he started his career with performances in compositions like Bach’s Matthaeus Passion, Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, and Brahms’ Ein Deutsches Requiem. In addition, he focused on Lieder recitals, with his very first evening dating back to 1966, in Utrecht. During such recitals he liked to include also some songs by modern composers, as he did in his VARA rectal of 1981, when he included Frank Martin’s 'Sechs Monologe aus Jedermann.’ At the Berliner Festwochen in 1974 he created Die Erprobung des Petrus Hebraicus by avant garde composer Henry Pousseur, and in 1975 he appeared in Mare nostrum by Mauricio Kagel. In 1980 he performed the historic title role in the great Dutch opera Thijl, by Jan van Gilse (1881-194).

Conductor Raphael Frühbeck de Burgos engaged him for major concert appearances in Spain. In 1973 he was engaged at the Dutch Opera Foundation, where he made his debut as Sid in Britten’s Albert Herring. He achieved great success in Amsterdam as Don Giovanni (1984 ), Germont -père in La Traviata, as Marcello in La Bohème, and especially as Mandryka in Arabella. The latter part he also performed in 1984 at the Glyndebourne Festival.

VIDEO ARABELLA

After an Amsterdam performance in Donizetti’s Maria Stuarda with Joan Sutherland, he was invited to sing at several American Opera Hosues. In San Diego he sang Sharpless in Madame Butterfly, and Ford in Falstaff. He also sang in the 1979 world premiere of menotti’s La Loca (with Beverly Sills, to whom this opera was dedicated). He sang in Toronto as Enrico in Lucia di Lammermoor. In New York and Los Angeles he sang the title role in Verdi's Nabucco, with Grace Bumbry as Abigaille. In Germany he sang regularly at the Stuttgart Opera (in 1985 in König Hirsch by HW Henze). In Frankfurt 1983 he was Amfortas in Wagner's Parsifal. We mention further the title role in Berg’s Wozzeck in a production of the Dutch Opera.

In La Scala Milan Bröcheler sang the role of Jochanaan in Richard Strauss Salome, as Orest in Elektra, and as Golaud in Pelléas et Mélisande by Debussy. In 1988 he sang the role at the Vienna State Opera, followed by Mandryka in Arabella in 1991. In 1989 at the Opernhaus von Bonn he performed Wolfram in Tannhäuser; in Munich 1990 the title roles in Hindemith’s Mathis der Maler, and Von Einem’s Danton's Tod.

He also sang as a guest at the Paris Opera and the Teatro Liceo in Barcelona (1990 Orest in Elektra), at the Staatsopern von Stuttgart (1992-93 as Wozzeck), and Dresden (1993 Dallapiccola’s Il Prigioniero).

Schumann: ‘Im wunderschönen Monat Mai / Aus meinen Tränen’ John Bröcheler (bass), Tan Crone (piano) (1979; LP CBS 71088)

In 1991 he sang Mahler’s ‘Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen’ at the opening of the new theater of Maastricht. In Amsterdam 1994 Bröcheler sang Barak in Frau ohne Schatten. Amsterdam also heard him in Wozzeck and as Jochanaan in Salome. At the Salzburg Festspiele one could hear him in 1995 as Dr . Schön in Berg’s Lulu, and in 1996 as Orest in Elektra. John Bröcheler was also very successful in the role of Wotan in Wagner's Das Rheingold (1997) and Die Walküre (1998) , as well as the Wanderer in Siegfried (1998), all of whicha re available on DVD.

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Discography

John Bröcheler recorded a good number of LP albums,a nd cd’s. While still working on a more complete discography, we mention here Edition Schwann (Robert Schumann: ‘Dichterliebe,’ 1979; Händel: Dettinger 'Te Deum ' and Judas Makkabäus); Decca (Donizetti: Lucrezia Borgia), Koch Records (Schumann: Das Paradies und die Peri) , EMI (Braunfels: Proclamation). Further there are some Lieder recital lp’s. His full biography can be found at his 401DutchDivas.nl page.

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Summer Course

Hans Georg Ahrens (bs – GE)

VIDEO AHRENS

German bass Hans Georg Ahrens (born 1944 in Hitzacker) studied at the Berlin Academy of Music and Performing Arts under Professor G. William. He arrived to the IVC 1969 very early in his devlopment. It is unknown if he actually followed the Sumemr Course in Vught, but either way he landed an engagement at the Mainz Municipal Theatre. Other engagements in Augsburg and Kassel followed. His achievements eventually led him in 1978 at the Kiel Opera House. Since that time, he also participated in many recordings and live radio broadcasts. Since 1994 Ahrens was a university lecturer in the field of singing at the Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel and since 2002 at the University of Flensburg, but he still sings great bass roles at the theater in Kiel, where he was appointed chamber singer in 1998.

Should you have additional biographical data, photos and/or recordings by 1969 IVC participant Hans Georg Ahrens, you are most welcome to contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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Honorary diploma

Branka Beretovac (s – YU)

Little is known about Yugoslavian soprano Branca Beretovac’s background, apart from a few opera performances, one CD appearance (on the Sena Jurinac 2CD portrait on the illustrious Gala label, where she is among the Fidelio cast, appearing in the quartet ‘Mir ist so wunderbar’). She also appears in the recording of Haydn’t Missa in Angustiius. and a complete LP recital on the Yugoslavian Fonoars label with harpist Rajka Dobronić-Mazzoni, who seems to be the one depicted on the back cover, rather than Beretovac. She sings there songs for harp by Krumpholtz, Mozart, Rossini, Ibert, Tournier, Dobronic, Hercigonja, and Konjovic. She also sings th song ‘Mati I sin’ by Lisinski on LP Jugoton LSY-63032. Then, there is also an appearance on the studio LP Yugoton ULPSV-25, with Brancatovic singing in Ivan Brakanovic’s tryptich A Little Merriment outside the House. The broadcast performances in circulation with Beretovac are scarce. There is an an intriguingly titled comic opera by Blagoje Bersa, Postolar is Delfta (Shoemaker from Delft), from Zagreb 1974. Beretovac sings here Klotilda, daughter of the rich shipmaker Boonekamp. In addition there is a 1975 Boris Godunov from Zagreb, which is unique in that it is not only an early example of the original Mussorgsky orchestration, but it also seems to be the most complete version ever performed. This gives Ksenija double singing time in the opening scene of Act II. In our musical excerpt, we have cut out Beretovac’s solo lines, leaving only the clear uniso lines with the Nurse there. The few lines she sing to Boris Godunov conclude the sample.

P. Konjovic: 'Nane, kazi tajku Branka Beretovac (soprano), rajka Dobronic-Mazzoni (Harp) (LP Jugoton LSY-61172)

 
Should you have additional biographical data, photos and/or recordings by 1969 IVC participant Branka Beretovac, you are most welcome to contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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Anthony Roden (t – UK)

Australian tenor Anthony Roden began studies at the Adelaide Conservatorium. A course at the London Opera Centre led to contracts with the All and English Opera Group. It was precisely at this time, that he entered the ‘s Hertogenbosch International Vocal competition, which resulted in an agent offering several oratorio concerts in Holland (among them the Concertgebouw appearance in the VARA Matinee of January 1970, as part his selection by VARA Radio for their IVC participants concert. From there he went to the Glyndebourne Festival and the Touring Opera, singing the roles of Lensky, Tamino, Belmonte, Don Ottavio, Gabriele Adorno, Florestan and Vitek over a period of years, during which time he was awarded the John Christie Prize. A time with Krefeld Stadtteater as principal tenor was followed by a three year contract with English National Opera taking on roles of Alfredo in La Traviata and Die Fledermaus, Ferrando, Tamino, Don Ottavio, Camille, Werther and Idamante. Guest performances in Prague were followed by a contract in South Africa for PACT.

Richard Tauber: Der singende Traum 'Du bist die Welt für mich' Anthony Roden (tenor), date unknown

He has also sung with Welsh National Opera, Scottish Opera, Opera North, Kent Opera, Royal Opera (Peter Grimes, Die Zauberföte and Die Frau Ohne Schatten), Freiburg, Graz, Theatre Angers, Teatro Real Madrid (Phillip Glass’s opera Corvo Branco), Hamburg, Barcelona and Nederlandse Opera. He worked with conductors such as
Sir Charles Mackerras, Sir Bernhard Haitink, Sir John Pritchard, Edward Downes, Antol Dorati, Andrew Davis, Sir Colin Davis, Roger Norrington, Alexander Gibson, Herbert Kegel, Donald Runnicles, Richard Hickox, Ingo Metzmacher. With Geoffrey Parsons he shared recitals at Wigmore Hall and for the BBC in songs by Mozart, Beethoven, Schumann, Wolf, Jensen, Marx, Goldmark, Listz, Respighi, Strauss, Britten, Bax, Ireland, Grainger, Quilter, Wolf-Ferrari, Williamson.

Roden was a senior visiting lecturer at the Royal Northern College of Music for nine years before leaving to maintain a successful private studio, visiting Hamburg and other venues to teach and give masterclasses. For more info on Anthony Roden and a selected discography visit his 401DutchDivas profile.

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Klesie Kelly (s – USA)

Little is known about American Negro soprano Klesie Kelly, except that she had a surprising recording career, as can be seen in the accompanying slide show. We mention her singing lead in Händel’s Passionskantate, a solo recital LP with Ian Partridge on pinao, ‘Abendlieder, Liebeslieder, und Romanzen,’ as well as Maderna’s Robert Schumann’ Missa Sacra and ‘Festouverture mit Gesang über das Rheinweinlied,’ conducted by Bruno Maderna, 1973. As IVC Winner, the Negro bass Thomas Carey previously, she seems to have been particularly popular in Germany, since all these lP’s are aimed at the German market. With these recordings she made a long nose to those critics who mocked her passing on to the IVC 1969 finals as ‘absurd.’ Some called her flute like, light weight soprano ‘triffle.’

J.S. Bach: Ich hatte viel Bekummernis ‘Seufzer, Tränen, Kummer, Not’ Klesie Kelly (soprano) (1970’s)

During the semi finals, she sang Mozart’s ‘Et incarnates est’ from C Moll Messe, ‘Höre Israel’ from Mendelssohn’s Elias, and ‘Si, mi chiamano Mimì’ from Puccini’s La bohème. From what we can make out, she was increasingly indisposed from semi finals to finals, due to an inflammation of her throat, or a cold. During the finals, she still manged to secure her Honorary Diploma with ‘Zerfliesse mein Herze’ from Bach’s Johannes Passion, the same Mendelssohn piece as she sung at the semi finals, and ‘Mir wird gesagt’ from Wolf’s Italienisches Liederbuch.

Should you have additional biographical data, photos and/or recordings by 1969 IVC participant Klesie Kelly, you are most welcome to contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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VARA ENGAGEMENT

‘There were after all some people in the auditorium who knew their trade, since VARA Radio engaged the likes of Geraldine Hackett-Jones, Swiss soprano Barbara Martig-Tüller, likewise passed over by the Jury, Else Paaske, and of course Anthony Roden and Sylvia Suri, the latter two also left otherwise empty handed. Thus, we get to see these singers in Het Concergebouw Amsterdam.’ (Jan Willem Hofstra, De Volkskrant, September 1969)

As things go with singers from around the globe, the eventual concert brought together Hacket–Jones, Roden, Paaske and Hubert Haber.

Regarding Geraldine Hackett-Jones, Barbara Martig-Tüller, Anthony Roden, and Sylvia Suri we can quote Hofstra once more, who wrote that, Since this Matinee was recorded, and we happen to have a copy of it in our archives, we can present you the most important highlights of these singers here for those who have not already been dealt with above, Geraldine Hackett-Jones, Barbara Martig–Tüller, Antony Roden, and Sylvia Surig. We also readily admit, that apart from Surig, all made fine careers, with Roden being a true star in the English lyrical tenor world. Having said that, the voice we are of course most curious after here, is the voice that Hofstra dubbed ‘a once in a Centrury voice,’ the voice of Geraldine Hackett-Jones! Things start out with Roden’s ‘Qui tollis’ after which Paaske, Hacket-Jones and Waber join in for a truly glorious rendition of the ‘Gloria in excelsis Deo.’ Here, well rehearsed, with a top notch orchestra and in the splendid acoustics of The Concertgebouw, these ‘beginners’ give fine performance of Beethoven’s ‘other’ Mass. In the Credo, things start in earnest for the soloist from ‘Et incarnatus est’ onwards, which is sung with so much style, and such opulent display of voice by all four, that one starts wondering about the voices of those who ended above these singers. Waber is perhaps the most rough edged one, a thrilling, untamed bass voice in ‘Et resurrexit tertia die,’ Roden emanates truly heavenly tones. Hacket-Jones’ merits are evident, especially in the ‘Benedictus,’ although it is hard to understand what could make one believe that this charming light soprano had ‘the voice of a Century.’ Perhaps it is also hard for any young singer to live up to such expectations. Roden and Paaske are unmistakably the most significant voices in this concert. Waber shows perhaps the best ‘rough material,’ but has still to find full control over his large, deep vocal resources.

Beethoven: Mass in C Op. 86 ‘Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini’ Geraldine Hacket–Jones (s), Else Paaske (a), Anthony Roden (t), Hubert Waber (bs), Radio Filharmonisch Orkest - Jean Fournet; Concertgebouw Amsterdam (IVC-VARA 1970)

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Geraldine Hackett-Jones

‘Perhaps the Jury thought it wise tolet the best singer of the contest go home without any prize at al – wise, because with all the solid gold that she has in her throat, Geraldine Hackett-Jones doesn’t need the Jury of the IVC to conquer the world.’ (Piet Pijnenborg, Unidentified Newspaper Clipping)

With respect to the ‘golden voice of the Century’ of Geraldine Hackett-Jones, we are left with the peculiar situation that there is more to find about her from before her IVC 1969 participation, than after. Following her winning the 1967 Sydney Sun Aria Contest Romola Constantino wrote in the Sydney Morning Herald that all rejoiced in Geraldine Hackett-Jones’ victory. Again, her name came accompanied from spectacular accolades, given the title of the article, which dubbed Hackett-Jones, ‘a singer with everything in her favor’:

‘Her technical equipment is ready for the grueling demands of operatic singing: her stage presence reveals a commanding, attractive and dramatically alive personality and she uses these gifts with marked intelligence. At 24 she is at the right age for advancing overseas on the prize’s rich scholarship. And, most importantly, her voice is a beautiful instrument, full-bodies, yet capable of delicate lightness, splendidly centered and secure in its whole range, and of a warm, rounded quality.’ (Sydney Morning Herald, October 2, 1967)

Regardless all the accolades awarded to her by her ‘fans,’ the Jury in Den Bosch was sharply divided over her; so much even that the fued reached the press, who reported it by word of Jan Willem Hofstra. Apparently, half the Jury favored Hackett-Jones, while the other half did not even want to let her pass to the finals, wich led to a compromise: since those against Hackett-Jones favored a tenor which the other half didn’t want to let pass to the finals, the deal was that both would pass. When Hackett-Jones did not win any prize, the audience, Hofstra and the rest of the press sharply critized the verdict in capitas that spelled, ‘Audience whistles Jury away at Vocal Comeptition,’ ‘Best did not get any prizes,’ ‘IVC Jury brought a bitter surprise,’ ‘Top level of Australian not acknowledged,’ and ‘Revolt of the audience against Jury verdict.’ Given that all these capitals were written in support of Hackett-Jones, one becomes almost ‘thirsty’ to hear the voice!

Fortunately, Hackett-Jones was among VARA Radio’s pick of IVC winners that were offered a Concertgebouw Amsterdam Concert in February 1970. This offers us at least a glimpse of her voice in Beehoven’s Mass in C, the only recording currently known of Hackett-Jones. Admittedly, Beethoven’s Mass in C offers but limited space for her and the other soloists to stand out. While it doesn’t give her voice the freedom to expand fully, the fragment chosen feature her fresh soprano voice briefly rising above the orchestra, where it floats in some polished tones, that earned her a well deserved applause at the end. To merit the accolades awarded to her by press and critics in Sydney and Den Bosch, however, we would need more substantial music, of the sort she competed with in Den Bosch: Mozart’s ‘Come scoglio’ from Così fan tutte, Verdi’s ‘Ritorna vincitor’’ from Aida, Head’s song ‘The Estuary’ (semi finals), Haydn’s ‘Nun beut die Flur’ from Die Schöpfung, ‘Mozart’s ‘Non mi dir’ from Don Giovanni, and Verdi’s ‘Tu che la vanità’ from Don Carlo (Finals).

Additional info wanted

What happened with Hackett–Jones after this February 1970 concert is a mystery – perhaps the Jury was right, or perhaps she had a great local career in Australia which is currently untraceable? We are most curious to know more about this ‘golden voice of the Century,’ that not only conquered the hearts of audience and press in Den Bosch, but also of those Sydney 1966. However brief her career may have been, we gladly acknowledge here that there must have been some very specific qualities to it in the period 1966–1970, for so many people can’t be wrong. Therefore, should you have additional biographical data, photos and/or recordings by 1969 IVC participant Geraldine Hackett-Jones, you are most welcome to contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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Barbara Martig–Tüller

Othmar Schoeck: Vom Fischer un syner Frau (Dramatic Cantata) ‘Wass will ich hier’ Barbara Martig-Tüller (Fischer’s Frau), James Wagner (Fischer), Berner Symphonieorchester - Peter Maag; Bern, October 23,1986

The Swiss soprano Barbara Martig-Tüller (Bern, February 8, 1940) is the daughter of tenor Erwin Tüller (1904-1971), and the sister of the bass-baritone Niklaus Tüller (b 1942). She studied at the Conservatory of Berne from 1959 to 1968, with Helene Fahrni and Felix Loeffel. Further studies with Franziska Martienssen-Lohmann and Paul Lohmann, as well with Ernst Haefliger and Sylvia Gähwiller (1969-1971) in Zürich, and finally in Bern with Dennis Hall. Since 1966 Martig-Tüller appeared as an oratorio and Lieder singer. She sang solo parts in the Passions and cantatas of J.S. Bach, in his B-minor Mass (BWV 232), and in works by George Frideric Handel, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Verdi, Rossini, Honegger, Berg, Willy Burkhard, Otmar Schoeck, Debussy, Ravel, Satie, Zelenka, Schubert and Richard Strauss. She gave concerts at the Neue Bachgesellschaft: Bachfest in Mainz (1980), at the Händelfesten in Halle (Saale) and Leipzig, in Turin, Rotterdam, Bristol, Autun, in Hilversum, Paris and Strasbourg, but especially in the music capitals in Switzerland and Germany. In 1980 she sang in Zürich the soprano solo in the world premiere of G. Holzer’s Nocturne.

Barbara Martig-Tüller has also performed on stage of theaters in Basel, Bern, Lucerne and Metz in such roles as the title role in Flotow's Martha, Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni, Elettra in Mozart's Idomeneo, Pamina in DieZauberflöte, Blanche in Poulenc’s Dialogues des Carmelites, Agathe in Weber’s Der Freischütz, Amelia in Verdi's Simon Boccanegra and The Mother in Sutermeister’s Die schwarze Spinne. Since 1986, she worked in Bern in the educational field.

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Discography

Accord (Händel: Apollo e Dafne; vocal works by Haydn), Carus-Verlag (Zelenka: Missa Dei Patris), Calig-Verlag (Haydn: Harmonie-Messe by), Jecklin-Disco (K. Cornell: Spiegel-Kantate). Her live recordings include Schoeck’s Vom Fischer un syner Frau (1986, Bern), of which we presented a sample above

Should you have additional biographical data, photos and/or recordings by 1969 IVC participant Barbara Martig-Tüller, you are most welcome to contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.