Karl Jorn

Karl Jörn (1873 – 1947), German tenor, vintage silver print postcard. 

Karl Jörn was the son of a poor German-Baltic family. He was adopted by the general Baron von Dellinghausen, after the death of the Baron's son. Jörn studied singing with Schütte-Harmsen, Jacobs and Luise Ress in Berlin. His debut was in 1896 in Freiburg as Lyonel in Flotow's Martha. Further engagements included 1898-99 Zürich, 1899-1902 Hamburg. In the years 1902-08 Karl Jörn was a prominent member of the Berlin Court Opera. He was the favorite singer of Emperor Wilhelm II. He made guest appearances at Covent Garden, Brussels and Amsterdam. In 1908 he was engaged by the Metropolitan Opera in New York, where he sang until 1914. His Met debut was in 1909 as Walther von Stolzing. In six seasons he sang 18 major parts in 103 performances, among them Tannhäuser, Massenet's des Grieux, Faust and Tamino. In 1914 he created Parsifal at the Deutsches Opernhaus Berlin. He went back to the USA, became an American citizen, retired from singing and lost everything through speculation in the twenties. Jörn then lived in Denver (Colorado) as a singing teacher. When Johanna Gadski undertook a North American tour with the German Opera Company in 1929-31, she invited the singer to take part, resuming his success mainly as Tristan, Siegfried and Siegmund. After some years in New York as a singing coach he returned to Denver. His voice was a fine lyric-dramatic tenor with substantial ring at the top. He made numerous recordings for G&T, HMV and Columbia, and also Edison cylinders and discs. Karl Jörn was the first German tenor to make complete opera recordings: Faust and Carmen (Berlin 1908).

Verso bears original postcard graphics. In very good condition with slight signs of wear and handling.