Margarete "Grete" Karoline Merrem, better known by her married nameGrete Merrem-Nikisch, (7 July 1887 – 12 March 1970) was aGermanoperaticsoprano.[1]
Born Margarete Karoline Merrem inDüren on 7 July 1887, Grete Merrem was persuaded to pursue a career as a singer after being encouraged to do so byElena Gerhardt who was the first to recognize her natural gifts as a vocalist.[2] She received her earliest singing lessons from Rudolf Schulz-Dornburg[3] inCologne and then at the renownedLeipzig Conservatory inLeipzig where she was a pupil of Marie Hedmondt, the wife of tenorE C Hedmondt.[2]
In 1910, Merrem made her professional opera debut at theLeipzig Opera and was a resident singer at the opera house for the next three years. She notably portrayed Sophie in Leipzig's fist staging ofRichard Strauss'sDer Rosenkavalier in 1911.[2] That same year, she appeared as a guest artist at theBerlin State Opera as the Goose-Girl inEngelbert Humperdinck's operaKönigskinder.[4] In 1914 she married the lawyer and juristArthur Philipp Nikisch [de] who was the eldest son of conductorArthur Nikisch and the brother of pianistMitja Nikisch. After this she performed under the name Grete Merrem-Nikisc.[2]
In 1913, Merrem-Nikisc joined the roster of principal artists at theSemperoper in Dresden; remaining with that company as a resident artist for the next 17 years.[4] She created roles in several world premieres at that operas house; including the parts of the slave Arsinoë in Albert's operaDie toten Augen (1916), the title role inHans Pfitzner's operaDas Christ-Elflein (1917), Gertraude inPaul Graener'sSchirin and Gertraude (1920),[2] and the Lady in Hindemith'sCardillac (1926).[4] In 1924, she replaced an ailingLotte Lehmann as Christine Storch in the original production ofRichard Strauss'sIntermezzo; performing the part in the opera's second performance.[4] Her most celebrated parts at the Semperoper were the roles of Eva inRichard Wagner'sDie Meistersinger von Nürnberg and Sophie inDer Rosenkavalier. Other roles in her repertoire included Dorabella in Mozart'sCosì fan tutte, Irene in Wagner'sRienzi, Susanna in Mozart'sLe nozze di Figaro, Zerlina in Mozart'sDon Giovanni, and the title roles Lehar'sThe Merry Widow and Puccini'sMadama Butterfly. Her last appearance on the opera stage was given at the Semperoper in 1930 when portrayed the part of Veronika inJan Brandts-Buys'sDie Schneider von Schönau [de].[2]
While primarily active in Dresden, Merrem-Nikisc periodically performed as a guest artist with other European opera houses. In 1914, she performed the role of Eva inDie Meistersinger von Nürnberg for her debut at theRoyal Opera House inCovent Garden with her father-in-law conducting.[4] She repeated that role at theNew German Theatre in Prague in 1919.[2] Her father-in-law also served as her accompanist in numerous recitals.[2]
Recordings were made with well-known Dresden and Berlin artists such asKarin Branzell,Meta Seinemeyer andRichard Tauber. She can be heard in an acousticPolydor production of Strauss' autobiographical operaIntermezzo.[2]
Merren-Nikisch died inKiel on 12 March 1970.[4]
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