Strauss, Pauline (1863-1950)

Strauss, Pauline

OPERA SINGER (BAVARIA)

BORN 4 Feb 1863, Ingolstadt, Bayern - DIED 13 May 1950, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Bayern
BIRTH NAME Ahna, Pauline de
GRAVE LOCATION Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Bayern: Friedhof Garmisch, Friedhofstrasse 5

Pauline de Ahna was the daguhter of the Bavarian general Adolf de Ahna (1830-1906). She was trained as a soprano. In 1887 she met the composer Richard Strauss, who gave her singing lessons. In 1890 she debuted in Weimar as Pamina and in 1891 she sang at the Bayreuth festival. The famous critic Hanslick admired her 'sweet soprano voice'. She worked for the Staatskapelle in Weimar from 1890 to 1894. On 10 May 1894 she sang in the world premiere of Strauss' first opera "Guntram".

Later that year she married Strauss, who wrote several works for her. From 1894 to 1897 she worked for the Bavarian State Opera. After their only child Franz Strauss (1897-1980) was born she retired from opera. In 1906 she stopped singing. In the same year she and Strauss purchased land ar Garmisch-Partenkirchen where a villa was built for them. They lived there from 1908 for most of the rest of their lives, but they also lived in Vienna from 1918.

She was an eccentric and often ill-tempered. Her husband's family did not like her. and many of his musical friends did not want to visit him because of her. But Strauss did not mind her whims. It was a good marriage and she inspired him in his work. After the Seond World War ended they lived Switzerland until they returned to Garmisch-Partenkirchen in 1949. Pauline died there in 1950, eight months after her husband.

Family
• Husband: Strauss, Richard (1894-1949, Marquartstein: Burgkirche St. Veit)

Events