A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Ander, Aloys

by Carl Ferdinand Pohl

ANDER, Aloys, one of the most famous German tenor singers of recent times; born August 24, 1821, at Libitz in Bohemia. His voice though not powerful was extremely sympathetic in quality. He went to Vienna in the hope that his talents would be recognised there, but it required all the energy and influence of Wild the singer, at that time Ober-Regisseur to the court opera-house before he was allowed to make the experiment of appearing there for the first time (Oct. 22, 1845) as Stradella in the opera of that name, though with no previous experience of the boards whatever. His success was complete, and decided his course for life, and that single night raised him from a simple clerk to the rank of a 'primo tenore assoluto.' Still more remarkable was his success in the 'Prophéte,' which was given in Vienna for the first time on Feb. 28, 1850. Meyerbeer interested himself in the rapid progress of Ander, and from that date he became the established favourite of the Vienna public, to whom he remained faithful, notwithstanding tempting offers of engagements elsewhere. His last great part was that of Lohengrin, in which he combined all his extraordinary powers. As an actor he was greatly gifted, and had the advantage of a very attractive appearance. His voice, not strong and somewhat veiled in tone, was in harmony with all his other qualities; his conceptions were full of artistic earnestness, and animated by a noble vein of poetry. His physical strength however was unequal to the excitement of acting, and was impaired by the artificial means which he took to support himself. His last appearance was as Arnold in 'William Tell,' on Sept. 19, 1864; he was then failing, and shortly afterwards totally collapsed. He was taken to the Bath of Wartenberg in Bohemia, where he died on Dec. 11, but was buried in Vienna amid tokens of universal affection.

[ C. F. P. ]