LEBEWOHL ANNELIESE ROTHENBERGER (1921 – 2010)
 (w. Del Monaco)

Anneliese Rothenberger was possibly one of the very first sopranos I knew long before Callas or Tebaldi became household names in my operatic lore. It’s hard to imagine but during the sixties and seventies at least in the Benelux she was immensely popular exceeding the fame of Callas or Tebaldi with the general public. Not so much because of her operatic career but mainly due her TV appearances and operetta recordings. The Anneliese Rothenberger show was watched by thousands of viewers not only in Germany but also in Austria, Switzerland, Belgium and The Netherlands. The voice wasn’t big -somewhere between a soubrette and a lyric soprano- but it had charm in abundance, an instantly recognizable timbre, great musicality and perfect enunciation. She was a charming and vivacious actress with a delightful personality. Rothenberger’s recorded output is immense and I don’t know of one record which disappoints.
A heartfelt thank you Frau Rothenberger for all those fine musical moments and may your soul rest in peace. (Ed.)
 
(Her recorded Konstanze is a classic, 2nd photo as Sophie)

          
(As Sussana and Violetta)

   
(As Zdenka and a portrait)

(photos courtesy Charles Mintzer and Manfred Krugmann)