Caroline Finaly

Caroline Finaly , also Karoline Finali , Karoline Pulitzer , Carolina Pulitzer , (born July 25, 1849 in Pest , Austria-Hungary , † June 14, 1934 in Trieste , Kingdom of Italy ) was an Austro-Hungarian singer and actress.

Life

Caroline Finaly was born as the daughter of the businessman Philipp Finaly and Netty Finaly (née Freund). Caroline Finaly had a brother (Jakob, born 1838) and two sisters (Rosa, born 1840 and Regina, born 1849). Like Caroline, Regina Finaly worked as a singer and actress in Vienna . The two sisters were rarely seen on stage together (e.g. in “ Three Pairs of Shoes ” on April 17, 1871 in the Theater an der Wien or in “Indigo and the forty robbers” by Johann Strauss (son) also in the Theater an der Wien).

Caroline Finaly enjoyed her training with Carl Maria Wolf in Vienna. On May 11, 1867, she made her debut as Olga in the operetta “ The Grand Duchess of Gerolstein ” at the Theater an der Wien, where she was engaged until Easter 1872. She then signed a contract with Maximilian Steiner for a job at the Strampfer Theater in Vienna. She made her debut there in the role of Margaret in Émile Jonas ' "The Duck with the Three Beaks". With an ensemble from the Strampfer Theater (including Mr. Adolfi, Miss Truška, Ms. Berg, Miss Waldua, Alexander Girardi , Mr. Martinius) she was successful in guest performances in Berlin at the Wilhelm-Städtische Theater and in Woltersdorff in the summer of 1872 -Theater and in Dresden at the Herminen-Theater. Due to discrepancies, she was relieved of her contractual obligations in January 1873, only to be reinstated in February of the same year. Her contract then ran until Maundy Thursday 1874.

From September 1875 to September 1877 Maximilian Steiner brought her back to the Theater an der Wien. However, she made guest appearances at the Vienna Carltheater as early as March 1877 , where she committed herself to Franz Lanner until May 1878, even after her contract with Maximilian Steiner had expired. Caroline Finaly also made a four-week guest appearance in Berlin on May 10, 1877 with an ensemble from the Carltheater (Antonie Link, Rosa Streitmann, Regina Klein, Franz Eppich and Kapellmeister Johann Brandl). This time at the Wallner Theater .
A lively exchange of letters with Josefine Gallmeyer in the 1870s indicates a friendship between the actresses.

After a stay in Hungary , Caroline Finaly could be seen again in the Theater an der Wien from December 1880 at the latest (initially through guest appearances). In 1883 she left the Israelitische Kultusgemeinde Vienna in order to convert to the Evangelical Church HB on November 25, 1883. On December 19, 1883, she appeared for the last time in the Theater an der Wien as Annina in Johann Strauss' operetta " One Night in Venice ". In honor of the artist, the master conducted her last stage appearance: “[…] Miss Finaly appeared on stage for the last time today, namely on the“ Night of Venice ”, because, as is well known, she is leaving to get married to kick. The public made it as difficult as possible for his darling to say goodbye. People cheered and were still happy about the property today, since the mourning will come into its own in time. The applause and the sympathy were at the same time a stormy vote of thanks, which the artist wanted to offer for the many enjoyable hours that she prepared for the public. Johann Strauss himself conducted the opera in honor of the departing artist. When Miss Finaly appeared on the scene, she received lively applause, which increased from scene to scene. […] Between the second and third acts, after the storm of applause had subsided in the auditorium, the colleagues surrounded the artist and presented her with a magnificent album as a souvenir, her, the always dutiful artist, as the spokesman said. This speech closed with a stormy cheer, which the public, who heard this call, approved with applause. At the end of the third act the evocations did not want to end. ”(Die Presse, December 20, 1883.)

On December 22, 1883, she married the wholesaler Géza Pulitzer in January 1884 and from then on lived in the Villa Carla in the Vicolo degli Scaglioni in Trieste . According to her obituary, she was the mother of several children - among others, she gave birth to her son Gustavo Pulitzer Finali, who became an architect, in 1887. Little is known about her life in Trieste. There is evidence that she made guest appearances in Trieste. She died in Trieste on June 14, 1934 at the age of 84.

Contemporary reception

While Caroline was initially described as a “promising young soubrette”, critical voices were heard soon after her debut. It was noted that she was "incapable of the Viennese dialect". In addition, the press judged her voice and her acting as follows: "[...] the ladies Finali and Burowsky sang wrongly, [...]" and "[...] a little more fire, a little more temperament and a lot more dramatic power to be wished highly - because the soft, monotonous way of speaking throws a little uncomfortably on irritable nerves. "All too often, her external appearance was emphasized and placed above her artistic talent:" Beauty is still the license for her talent. "

From the end of 1871 the critics were milder and even called her "next to the Geistinger the most capable and graceful female member of the Theater an der Wien" when she switched to the Strampfer Theater and for the Theater an der Wien "undoubtedly a loss that is difficult to replace! "

Barely made her debut at the Strampfer Theater, the benevolent voices were muffled again ("Miss Finaly looked very pretty and sang her difficult role surprisingly well. In the game, of course, the young lady, who never put any value on finer nuances, left her more degagued predecessor wife Badly miss Koch. "). A slight upswing in her reception was evident for her role as Severine in Dumas' “Princess Georges” and reached a first high point in her guest appearances in Berlin from June 1872: “It is very interesting to follow the acting development of the lady mentioned, Since then she has come out of the shadow which a long-standing tree with fine foliage, already strongly closed in its hips, thrown at her in the Theater an der Wien, and which consistently prevented a fruitful blooming. Miss Finaly has become a darling of the Berlin public. "

Back in Vienna, her development was viewed benevolently, albeit somewhat cautiously: “She feels like the first of the troop and - noblesse oblige - she is now moving forward with greater vigor. So Fraulein Finaly discovered her heart, or actually her talent, in Berlin and, since the artist was previously - ruthlessly enough - said that she had none at all (namely, no talent), it is now fair to recognize that she is essential Made progress. She has not become a genius, but she no longer plays as unacceptably cold and clumsily rehearsed as before. [...] she sings with lively expressions and sometimes even makes attempts to point correctly. For the time being, you can't ask for more from the young lady after the short time. "

Caroline Finaly only found “due and brilliant recognition” from her last period at the Theater an der Wien from 1880 to 1883. Although she was rarely celebrated euphorically, she was recognized as a great operetta actress. So it said in her obituary: "It was one of the most popular soubrettes of its time [...]"

Operetta world around Caroline Finaly

Caroline Finaly entered the world of operetta when it was already in the middle of realizing her endeavors to revive the mythical, frivolous, disreputable humorous soul of the French model (around Jacques Offenbach and actresses such as Hortense Schneider ) in Vienna . The theater formed the melting pot for gentlemen from the rich or aristocratic upper class of the big cities, ladies of the demimondial world and artists. Within this world it was initially mainly girlish roles that Caroline Finaly was allowed to slip into during her stage appearances. Her supposedly handsome appearance was welcomed by the audience and the press, and her acting and vocal inadequacies (provided the reviews can be relied on) were generously forgiven. But Caroline Finaly was seldom in cross-dressing roles, which appeared in the operetta of the 19th century - as well as in the contemporary entertainment industry (just think of Robin Williams in " Mrs. Doubtfire - The Prickly Nanny " or Tim Curry in " The Rocky Horror Picture Show ") - great popularity among audiences to see. On September 16, 1882, for example, she played the womanizer Giovanni Boccaccio in Franz von Suppès ' operetta of the same name . The execution of the role of Boccaccio, which was conceived as alto and was originally played by actresses, left room for homoerotic associations. The same goes for her role as Prince Edward in Émile Jonas ' “Javotte. The new Cinderella “ten years earlier. The prince fell in love with Javotte, one of three sisters, and ended up marrying her. The plot of the operetta hardly impressed, but all the more so was the "impressive number of trouser rolls " (cross-dressing roles), "pages in tight clothes", hopping, little dressed drum boys who "appeal, a strong one, to sensuality." , to the instincts - of course one must say, not to the finer ones. Other examples of her sparse cross-dressing appearances are "Fortunato, Gendarmen-Kapitän" in Offenbach's "Madame" Herzog "or the conspiracy to Montefiascone" (1875) and Orestes in " The beautiful Helena " (1868) also by Jacques Offenbach .

Even if Caroline Finaly was never stylized as a sex symbol in the media, she was mostly part of the world premieres or Austro-Hungarian premieres of Offenbach's great operettas, Strauss' and Suppés, which delighted the morally open-minded audience.

Roles (selection)

Theater an der Wien

• Olga; later also Iza, lady of honor of the Grand Duchess - " The Grand Duchess of Gerolstein " ( Jacques Offenbach )
• Giroflée, milk sister and companion - “Princess Hirschkuh. (La biche au bois) "(music by various masters)
• Venus, later also public opinion - " Orpheus in the underworld " (Jacques Offenbach)
• Bertha - "Journey to China" ( François Bazin )
• Sapphire, submissive spirit - "donkey skin" ( Adolf Müller junior )
• The Vienna - "The Danube Woman and the Knight from Kahlenberg" ( Julius Hopp )
• Lieschen - " The Alpine King and the Misanthrope " ( Ferdinand Raimund )
• Miss Rosenduft, actress - "The wrong Carlotta Patti" (music by various masters)
• Ritta - " Zampa or the Marble Bride " ( Louis Joseph Ferdinand Hérold )
• Rosa, chambermaid - " The spendthrift " (Konrad Kreutzer, Ferdinand Raimund)
• Orestes - " The beautiful Helena " (Jacques Offenbach)
• Eclosine - "The arrow in the eye"
• Marianna - "Coscoletto" (Jacques Offenbach)
• Brigitte, Genovefa's confidante - " Genovefa von Brabant " (Jacques Offenbach)
• Princess Hermia, initially shepherdess under the name Fleurette - " Bluebeard " (Jacques Offenbach)
• Isabella, Princess of Mallorca - "Morilla" (Julius Hopp)
• Théa, called "Theeblütchen" - "Theeblüthe" ( Charles Lecocq )
• Fanni, running girl in a fashion defeat - "The Probirmamsell" (Adolf Müller junior)
• Ursula - "The Horrors of War" (Jules Costé)
• Serafine, a rich widow - "Die Frau Mama" (music by various composers, OV Berg)
• Julie - "On the Blue Danube" (Adolf Müller junior)
• Odette - "The beautiful knight Dunois" (Charles Lecocq)
• Maria - "The German Brother" ( OV Berg )
• Helene - "Grand Hotel" ( Carl Millöcker )
• Irma, called "The Vicegespanin" - " Three Pairs of Shoes " (Carl Millöcker)
• Toffana - "Indigo and the forty robbers" (Johann Strauss (son))
• Mefisto - "Dr. Faust junior "( Hervé (composer) )
• Mali - "Hearts won" (Carl Millöcker)
• Resi - "Voters and tormentors" (Carl Millöcker)
• Ernestine - "Isaak Stern, one of our people" (OV Berg)
• Fanny - "The Violet Lady" (Carl Millöcker)
• Natilitza - " Apajune, the Aquarius " (Carl Millöcker)
• Rosalinde - " Die Fledermaus " (Johann Strauss (son))
• Donna Irene - " The Queen's Lace Shawl " (Johann Strauss (son))
• Bettina, goose guardian - “The angel of happiness. (La Mascotte) "( Edmond Audran )
• Bagatelle - "The Christmas Tree" ( Louis Roth )
• Simone - "Musketeers in the Damenstift" (Fritz Baselt)
• Countess Violetta - " The Merry War " ( Johann Strauss (son) )
• Manola - "Day and Night" (Charles Lecocq)
• Prascovia - "Doctor Ox" (Jacques Offenbach)
• Giovanni Boccaccio - " Boccaccio " ( Franz von Suppè )
• Haiderose - "The Bells of Corneville" (Robert Planquette)
• Teresita - "The Little Prince" (Adolf Müller junior)
• Laura - " The Begging Student " (Carl Millöcker)
• Titania Fanfani - "The trip to Africa" ​​(Franz von Suppè)
• Annina, fisherman's daughter - " One night in Venice " (Johann Strauss (son))

Romper Theater

• Severine - "Princess Georges" (after Alexandre Dumas the Younger )
• Margarethl - "Mitten and Margareth'l" (Julius Hopp)
• Susi - "No. 28 "(Julius Hopp)
• Countess Titilde - "Fernande" (Karl Costa)
• Prince Edward - "Javotte. The new Cinderella "( Émile Jonas , Julius Hopp)
• Margarethe - "The duck with the three beaks" (Emile Jonas, Julius Hopp)
• The boyaress Helene - "Goldchignon" (Emile Jonas, Julius Hopp)
• Adele Schwindelmeyer, actress - "Fräulein Schwindelmeyer" (Karl Pleininger, Anton Bittner )
• Emilie - " Cagliostro in Vienna " (Johann Strauss (son))
• Therese - "The woman from Brestl" (Carl Millöcker)
• Fortunato, gendarme captain - "Madame" Herzog "or the conspiracy to Montefiascone" (Jacques Offenbach)
• Cäcilie - "The Devil's Music" (Carl Millöcker)

Carltheater

• Friquette - "Prince Conti" (Charles Lecocq)
• Liddy - "To the moon and under the sea" (Franz von Suppè)
• Princess Lydia Ivanovna Uschakoff - " Fatinitza " (Franz von Suppè)
• Giroflé and Girofla - " Giroflé-Girofla " (Charles Lecocq)
• Clairette Angot, florist - "Angot, the daughter of the hall" (Charles Lecocq)
• Galathée - " The beautiful Galathée " (Franz von Suppè)
• Vilma, an orphan - " Light Cavalry " (Franz von Suppè)
• Fou-Fou, chansonet singer - "Vindobona" ​​(Johann Brandl)
• Graziella - "Graziella. (La Petite Mariée) "(Charles Lecocq)
• Silvia - "Mandolinata. (Le Passant) "(Franz von Suppè)
• Pulcinella - " Prince Methuselah " (Johann Strauss (son))
• Toinon, Schenkwirthin - “Margot. The rich baker "(Jacques Offenbach)
• Agnes - "Our craftsmen" (OF Berg)

literature

• Marie-Theres Arnbom , Kevin Clarke , Thomas Trabitsch (eds.): World of Operetta. Glamor, Stars and Show Business , Vienna 2012, ISBN 3-850-33581-X .
• Kevin Clarke (Ed.): Glitter and be Gay. The authentic operetta and its gay admirers , Hamburg 2007, ISBN 978-3-939542-13-1 .
• Franz Hadamowsky : The Vienna Operetta , Vienna 1947.
• Marion Linhardt : Staging of women - women in the staging. Operetta in Vienna between 1865 and 1900 , Tutzing 1997.
• Anna L. Staudacher: Jewish-Protestant converts in Vienna 1782-1914. Part 1 , Vienna 2004.
• Anna L. Staudacher: Jewish-Protestant converts in Vienna 1782-1914. Part 2 , Vienna 2004.
• Part of the estate of Caroline Finaly in the manuscript collection of the Vienna Library.
• Program sheets of the Theater an der Wien, the Strampfer-Theater and the Carl-Theater.

swell

1. ^ Staudacher, Anna L .: Jewish-Protestant converts in Vienna 1782-1914. Part 2 , Vienna 2004, p. 158.
2. ↑ Sheets for Music, Theater and Art , January 24, 1873.
3. ^ Leaflets for Music, Theater and Art , February 14, 1873.
4. ^ Die Presse , April 30, 1877.
5. ↑ see manuscript collection of the Vienna Library
6. ↑ The Fatherland , August 9, 1967.
7. ^ Intermediate act , January 5, 1868.
8. ^ Intermediate act , March 29, 1868.
9. ^ Die Presse , November 22, 1871.
10. ^ Die Presse , August 9, 1871.
11. ^ The Morgen-Post , January 4, 1872.
12. ^ Deutsche Zeitung , March 11, 1872.
13. ^ Die Presse , June 15, 1872.
14. ^ Deutsche Zeitung , September 24, 1872.
15. ^ Die Presse , December 19, 1880.
16. ^ Neues Wiener Journal , June 22, 1934.
17. ^ Die Presse , November 10, 1872.

Web links

• Austrian National Library ANNO Historical Austrian newspapers and magazines