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Karel Burian (1870-1924) was born in Rousínov near Rakovník in what is now the Czech Republic. He initially aspired to be a lawyer and began his studies in Prague. However, a music professor who heard Burian’s voice convinced him to take up singing. After a period of study and a few local engagements (including a stint in the Maisel Synagogue choir), Burian made his debut in Brno in the spring of 1891 as Jeník in The Bartered Bride. The 21 year old tenor made a big impression on the management of the theater and was offered a long term contract. However, Burian was rather disappointed with the lack of projects given to him and left the theater to seek his fortune elsewhere. He made his way to Germany, where his reputation as a Wagnerian spread quickly. He was engaged by Cologne Opera as its principal Heldentenor from 1894-1896. Throughout the 1890s, Burian was much in demand in Berlin, Hannover and Dresden, and even returned home for an engagement in Prague. However, the tenor preferred the German theaters, where he could command much higher fees than in his homeland. Burian created the role of Herod in the world premiere of Strauss’ opera Salome in Dresden in 1905. He also sang the role in the London and New York premieres two years later. However, it was as a Wagnerian that Burian made his mark and he sang nearly all the principal Wagner roles during his years with London’s Covent Garden (four scattered seasons between 1904-1914) and in his seven seasons with the MET in New York (1906-1913). Oddly, his presence at Bayreuth was limited to a single Parsifal in 1908. Among the greatest of Burian’s nearly one hundred operatic roles were Max in Der Freischütz, Florestan in Fidelio, Canio in Pagliacci, Herod in Salome, Loge in Das Rheingold, Siegmund in Die Walküre, both Siegfrieds and the title roles in Dalibor, Tristan und Isolde, Lohengrin, Tannhäuser and Parsifal. In addition to his reputation as a great Wagnerian Heldentenor, Burian had a reputation as a man of excesses. The tenor enjoyed eating, drinking and the company of women. An oft repeated story, probably apocryphal, has it that Burian was enjoying a bottle of beer during a recording session when he began to choke and sputter. The beer had reportedly been poisoned by a vengeful recording technician, the cuckolded husband of one of the tenor’s many conquests. While certain details of this tale can probably never be verified, it IS known that Burian accidentally ingested bleach in 1920. Although the results were not fatal, the tenor received serious burns to the inside of his mouth and throat from this mishap. While being treated by his physician, it was discovered that Burian’s lifestyle was beginning to catch up to him. The years of heavy drinking and overall disregard for his physical condition had taken a toll on his health. It was discovered that he was suffering from diabetes as well as heart and liver disease. Burian’s doctor warned him to curb his appetites but the tenor was dismissive of this advice. After his voice recovered, he began to perform again, despite his deteriorating health. While receiving a shave from his barber in early 1924, Burian’s face was nicked and he contracted streptococcus. In his already weakened condition, the tenor was unable to fight the advancing infection. He retreated to his farm in Senomaty, where he spent his final months in a critical state. Tragically, Karel Burian succumbed to his illness in September of that year at the age of 54.
