Maria Cebotari sings aria So elend und so treu from Der Zigeunerbaron by Johann Strauss
"Der Zigeunerbaron was the first Viennese operetta set in Hungary and whose main characters were Hungarians and Gypsies. Although this may seem like a bold political gesture at a time when many Viennese felt the influx of Hungarians into Vienna threatened the city's political and financial stability, the context in which Strauss and Schnitzer frame their Hungarian characters preserves the Austrian sense of superiority. Der Zigeunerbaron is based on Saffi, a novella by the Hungarian Mór Jókai. Ignaz Schnitzer, in Vienna, developed a libretto from Jókai's scenario, while Franz Jauner, director of the Theater-an-der-Wien, secured the rights to the work and planned its production" :
http://www.answers.com/topic/der-zigeunerbaron-the-gypsy-baron-operetta-rv-511
Maria Cebotari (Cebotaru) (10 February 1910, Chişinău - 9 June 1949, Vienna) was a Bessarabian born - Austrian soprano and actress of Romanian origin:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_Cebotari
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moldavia
Maria Cebotari se vit conférer le plus important titre honorifique existant à l'époque en Allemagne et en Autriche - Kammersängerin. A part cela, ses mérites exceptionnels furent appréciés par la haute distinction "Coroana României" (« La couronne de la Roumanie »):
http://www.moldavie.fr/article.php3?id_article=605
She sang at many opera houses including Berlin State Opera, Vienna State Opera, La Scala Opera House of Milan, Covent Garden, Dresden Semper Opera House.
Most of her survived recordings are live and they show her extremely versatile voice.
Austrian record label Preiser has issued the recordings "The Art of Maria Cebotari".
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