Maria Friesenhausen
German classical soprano singer (1932–2020)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Maria Friesenhausen (23 March 1932 – 31 July 2020) was a German classical soprano who appeared in Europe. She is known for recordings of Baroque music on record and with broadcasters. She was also a professor of voice at the University of Dortmund.
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Maria Friesenhausen | |
|---|---|
Maria Friesenhausen, in the 1970s | |
| Born | 23 March 1932 |
| Died | 31 July 2020 (aged 88) Essen, Germany |
| Other name | Maria Friesenhausen-Balkenhol |
| Education | Folkwangschule |
| Occupations |
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| Organizations | University of Dortmund |
Career
Friesenhausen was born the daughter of a church musician in Altendorf, now Burgaltendorf, a part of Essen.[1][failed verification] She studied at the Folkwangschule in Essen,[2] with Hilde Wesselmann, among others. She finished with a degree in both voice teaching and operatic singing in 1957. She focused on concert singing and recording, especially of works by Johann Sebastian Bach and other Baroque composers.[1][3] She toured in Europe, for example to Geneva, Helsinki, Paris and Vienna.[1]
She was the soprano soloist in several Bach cantatas in the series of the broadcaster NDR conducted by Max Thurn with the NDR Chor,[3] such as in 1960 Jesu, der du meine Seele, BWV 78, alongside Ursula Zollenkopf, Johannes Feyerabend and Erich Wenk.[4] She recorded Dieterich Buxtehude's Lauda Sion Salvatorem, BuxWV 68, with Helmut Kahlhöfer.[5] She was the soloist in a recording of Bach's Christmas Oratorio conducted by Hans Grischkat, alongside Hildegard Laurich, Peter Wetzler and Bruce Abel in 1972.[6]
In Baroque opera, she recorded in 1973 the part of an elegant lady in Lully's Le Bourgeois gentilhomme, with Siegmund Nimsgern in the title role; Gustav Leonhardt conducted La Petite Bande and members of the Tölzer Knabenchor.[7] She also recorded Andreas Romberg's Das Lied von der Glocke.[1] She performed in church concerts, such as in 1977 in Haydn's Die Schöpfung at St. Patrokli in Soest.[8]
Friesenhausen worked as a professor of voice[2] at the University of Dortmund.[9] In 2001 she trained the soloists, including Georg Poplutz[9] and Karin Lindemann in the title roles, for a performance of Handel's Acis und Galatea with the university choir, in a set with costumes designed by students.[10]
Friesenhausen died in Essen on 31 July 2020.[11] In 2024, her son organised a Requiem charity concert in her memory in her favourite church in Essen.[12]
