Karl Alwin

1891 Königsberg-1945 Mexico City
Karl (Carl) Alwin / Alwin, born Karl / Alwin Oskar Oskar Pinkus April 15, 1891 Königsberg, conductor, composer, teacher, tudied philosophy, music and literature at the University of Berlin, composition with Engelbert Humperdinck. After his debut 1910 at the Hofoper Berlin in 1912 he was called to Bayreuth as assistent of Karl Mück; 1912-20 he held teaching positions in Halle, Posen, Düsseldorf, Hamburg. From 1920 to 1938 he was conductor at Vienna State Opera, and appeared as guest conductor Great Britain, France, Spain, 1930 he went on a tour through the USA as accompanist of tenor Jan Kiepura. On March 11, 1938 he was the conductor of the last free opera performance in the Vienna State Opera (Eugen Onegin), immediately displaced and as at May 1st officially dismissed by nazis. In June he fled to the USA, where in the season 1939-1940 he acted as conductor of the Chicago Civic Opera. From 1940 on he travelled to South America for conducting engagements as guest conductor. On the invitation of Kammersänger Franz Steiner (1878 Sopron - 1954 Mexico City) in 1941 he became chief conductor of the Opera Nacional in Mexico and professor Conservatorio Mexico City. With his colleague, conductor and composer Ernst Römer, he programmed the concerts of the Heinrich Heine Klunb in Mexico City. In 1945 he went on tour for troop support of the US-Army a.o. to Puerto Rico and Trinidad. IUntil his divorce in 1934 he was married to opera singer Elisabeth Schumann. Karl Alwin passed away on Oktober 15, 1945 in Mexico City. Update Primavera Driessen Gruber January 12, 2014