Ottilie Metzger

Ottilie Metzger was a renowned German opera singer, celebrated for her powerful contralto voice and diverse repertoire. With a career spanning from 1898 to 1925, she performed internationally in operas, oratorios, and concerts, showcasing her mastery of German, French, and Italian opera. Her notable portrayals include the title heroine in Georges Bizet's Carmen, as well as performances in the operas of prominent composers Richard Wagner and Richard Strauss.

Following her retirement from the stage, Metzger dedicated herself to teaching, sharing her expertise as a voice instructor at the Stern Conservatory in Berlin, her alma mater. However, with the rise of Nazi Germany in the 1930s, she was forced to flee due to her Jewish heritage, seeking refuge in Brussels in 1939. Tragically, her life was cut short during World War II, as she was arrested in 1942 and interned in Auschwitz, ultimately facing a death sentence in October of that year. Although the exact circumstances of her death remain unknown, it is believed to have occurred in or around February 1943, claiming the life of a talented artist and victim of the Holocaust.