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Herman Jadlowker

Herman Jadlowker was a Riga-born operatic tenor and cantor who sang across Europe and at the Metropolitan Opera in New York in the early 20th century.

1877 to 1953Operatic tenor recordingsCreating the Königssohn in KönigskinderChief cantor of Riga synagogue

Born: 17 July 1877, Riga
Died: 13 May 1953, Tel Aviv
Occupation: opera singer, hazzan, cantor

Herman Jadlowker was born in 1877 in Riga

Herman Jadlowker was born in Riga on July 17, 1877. His father wanted him to go into business. At 15 he ran away from home to Vienna, where he studied singing with Josef Gänsbacher.

He made his opera debut in Cologne in 1899 and then sang in Stettin and Karlsruhe. After Kaiser Wilhelm II heard him, he received a five-year contract at the Royal Opera in Berlin. He created the role of the Königssohn in Humperdinck's Königskinder in 1910.

He sang at the Metropolitan Opera in New York in 1910 and 1912, in German, Italian and French roles. There he created the tenor role in Leo Blech's Versiegelt in 1912. Reviews of his stage work were mixed, and he returned to Europe before World War I.

He recorded widely in Europe and America starting in 1907. In the 1920s he sang more often in concerts, and in 1929 he became chief cantor of the Riga synagogue. He later taught voice at the Riga Conservatory.

In 1938 he moved to Palestine with his wife and taught in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. He died in Tel Aviv on May 13, 1953.

Herman Jadlowker's life in 8 milestones

1877
Born in Riga.
1899
Made his opera debut in Cologne.
1907
Began making recordings.
1910
Created a role in the premiere of Königskinder and sang at the Metropolitan Opera.
1912
Created the tenor role in Versiegelt at the Metropolitan Opera.
1929
Became chief cantor of the Riga synagogue.
1938
Moved to Palestine with his wife.
1953
Died in Tel Aviv.