Mailbox
This week in Mailbox we reveal the identity of last month's mystery man, quote from your correct answers and announce the name of the lucky winner. Listeners quoted: Ian Morrison, Charlie Cockey, Andrea Burns, David Eldridge, Constantin Liviu Viorel, S. J. Agboola, Aaron Tiu, Mick Edwards, Colin Law, Charles Konecny.
Hello and thanks for tuning in to Mailbox where it’s time today to answer last month’s mystery person quiz question.
Ian Morrison from China was the first one to write in:
“The name you are looking for is none other than Leo Slezak, who was just as famous for his sense of humour as his great singing talent. The best-known example is when a stage hand sent the swan out too early during a performance of Wagner's Lohengrin, before the tenor could hop aboard. Seeing that his feathered means of transport had left without him, Slezak asked the audience: ‘When does the next swan leave?’”
That particular anecdote featured in a number of your answers, including this one from our Brno-based listener Charlie Cockey (currently writing from San Francisco). Charlie writes:
“The tenor whose name you are singing, sorry, seeking, was Leo Slezak. Though he had a hugely successful career as an operatic singer, followed after 1932 by success in German film culminating in his final role in Josef von Báky's 1943 film ‘Munchhausen’ where he played the rotund Sultan Abdul-Hamid… His daughter Margarete was also a noted singer (soprano), and his son Walter Slezak was a noted film character actor (including such famous films as Hitchcock's ‘Lifeboat’ and such infamous films as ‘Bedtime for Bonzo’ with Ronald Reagan), but also followed his father's footsteps to a degree, including a lead role on Broadway in ‘Fanny’, for which he won a Tony award.”
Andrea Burns from the USA also mentions Slezak’s family:
“Leo Slezak is the answer to your question whose son was Walter Slezak, a US TV actor. His daughter Erika plays Viki in the ‘One Life to Live’ soap opera that I have been watching since the 1960's. She is out due to back surgery but will be back soon. She is the star of the soap opera!”
David Eldridge from England also focused on Leo Slezak’s offspring in his answer:
“Leo Slezak, famous for Wagnerian work eventually shifted away from singing to acting as a comedian in Austrian films. In doing that he began a line of Slezaks in acting. His son Walter Slezak had parts in Hollywood films from 1922 to 1972 and played the part of ‘Willi’, the German U-boat engineer in Alfred Hitchcock's 1944 film ‘Lifeboat’. Leo Slezak's daughter, Margarete, followed more closely in her father's footsteps in that many of her acting roles were singing parts. Walter Slezak, son of Leo Slezak, has a daughter Erika Slezak who has many acting awards and continues her work today.”
“Leo Slezak was born on the 18th of August 1873 in Šumperk or Mährisch-Schönberg in German. His debut was as Lohengrin in Brno, in 1896. In the same role he debuted in Berlin two years later. From 1901 he was a permanent member of the Vienna State Opera’s ensemble, where he debuted as Arnold in Guillame Tell. In 1909 he sang at the New York Metropolitan Opera, but in 1913 he came back to the Vienna State Opera. He had 66 roles like Guillaume Tell, Tannhauser etc. but from his generation he was the most famous Othello.”
S. J. Agboola from Nigeria adds:
“At various times, he worked as a gardener, an engineer's fitter and an army officer before taking up what I can rightly consider as his real work of singing with his debut in 1896. He was convivial and had a high sense of humour. Apart from that, he was a prolific writer.”
Aaron Tiu writes from the Philippines:
“Leo Slezak was born in Schönberg (now Šumperk), Moravia, in 1873. He was one of the most celebrated tenors at the Vienna Court Opera. Like many singers of his time, he was not limited to a particular set of roles.“
Mick Edwards listens to Radio Prague in the UK:
“I think the answer to this month's competition is Leo Slezak who was born in Šumperk, on 18th August 1873. His international career started at the Royal Opera House in London. He made disc and cylinder recordings and even now there are recordings available on CD.”
Colin Law from New Zealand once again sent in a long and detailed answer:
“Leo Slezak, born in Šumperk, Moravia, 1873, was the son of a miller. The family settled in Brno, where Leo went to school. He worked as a gardener and then as a locksmith, but his spare time was spent working in the theatre in Brno, where he also sang in the choir. Then the famous baritone Adolf Robinson offered Leo a great future as a singer if he studied hard with him.
“Leo Slezak died in Rottach-Egern in 1946, just two years after the death of his wife, Elisabeth. Their grave in Egern Friedhof, Bavaria also became the last resting place of their son Walter in 1983 and his wife Johanna Elisabeth in 1984.”
Charles Konecny writes from Ohio:
“Leo Slezak had very good qualities. He was a good man, a good husband, a good father, and... a very good tenor. He was one of the greats of opera and he managed to live his life with grace and with a sense of humor. So for him I cheer... ’bravo’. Speaking of Leo Slezak, I am quite familiar with his son Walter Slezak whom I saw in numerous movies during my earlier movie going years. Walter looked very much like his father.”
Many thanks to everyone for taking part and this time a Radio Prague parcel is on its way to Andrea Burns from the United States. Congratulations! Here is another chance if you haven’t been lucky this time.
This month we would like you to tell us the name of the Prague-based author born in 1917 in Slovakia whose book was made into a movie that won an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film in 2008.
We expect your answers by the end of May at [email protected] or Radio Prague, 12099 Prague and there will be a Radio Prague goodie bag for the lucky winner. Please keep your letters and reception reports coming and until next week, happy listening.
