Gura, Eugen

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Gura, Eugen

Gura, Eugen, distinguished German bass-baritone, father of Hermann Gura; b. Pressern, near Saatz, Bohemia, Nov. 8, 1842; d. Aufkirchen, Bavaria, Aug. 26, 1906. He studied in Vienna and with Joseph Herger in Munich. In 1865 he made his operatic debut in Lortzing’s Der Waffenschmied in Munich, where he sang until 1867. He then appeared in Breslau (1867-70) and Leipzig (1870-76). In 1876 he sang Dormer and Gunther at the first Bayreuth Festival, and returned there regularly until 1892. In 1882 he sang the first British Hans Sachs and King Marke at London’s Drury Lane. From 1882 to 1896 he sang at the Hamburg Opera. On Aug. 20, 1901, he made his farewell appearance in opera as Hans Sachs in Munich, the day before the official opening of the Prinzregententheater. Among his other notable roles were Wotan, Wolfram, Amfortas, Leporello, lago, and Falstaff. He publ. Erinnerungen aus meinem Leben (Leipzig, 1905).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire