Her real name Maria Kempner was shortened to "Ivogün" after the maiden name of her mother, the operetta singer I (da) vo (n) Gün (ther); her father, Pál Kempner, was an Austro-Hungarian officer; she was not related to the soprano Mizzi Günther, who created Lehár's "Lustige Witwe". She was trained by Irene Schlemmer-Ambros in Vienna. Bruno Walter recognized her outstanding talent and engaged her for his new workplace at the Court Opera in Munich. She gave her debut in Munich in the role of Mimi in Puccini's "La bohème". From 1913 to 1925 she worked as a highly valued prima donna at the Court Opera in Munich; Here she sang the part of Ighino in the world premiere of Hans Pfitzner's "Palestrina" on June 12th, 1917, and in 1918 the title role in "Das Christelflein" by the same composer in a new version of the opera. In Munich she continued to work in the world premieres of the operas "Der Ring des Polykrates" by Korngold (March 28, 1916) and "Die Vögel" (December 4, 1920) by Walter Braunfels. In 1916 and 1919 she made guest appearances at the Berlin Court Opera and the Berlin State Opera, in 1917 at the Dresden Court Opera, in the 1916-1919 at the City Theater of Zurich, in 1919 and 1932 at the City Theater of Basel. From 1921 to 1932 she was married to the tenor Karl Erb (1877-1958), and from 1933 to the pianist and song accompanist Michael Raucheisen (1889-1984). Since 1925 she has belonged to the ensemble of the Berliner Städtische Oper. She made guest appearances at the Covent Garden Opera in London (1924 as Zerbinetta in "Ariadne auf Naxos", one of her great creations, and as Gilda in "Rigoletto", in 1927 as Konstanze in "Entführung aus dem Serail") at La Scala in Milan, brilliant successes at the Vienna State Opera and at the Berlin State Opera. In 1922 she undertook a very successful concert tour through the USA, in 1923 she toured North America as a guest artist with the German Opera Company; she was heard in New York as Frau Fluth in Nicolai's "Lustige Weibern von Windsor". From 1922 to 1923 she sang at the Chicago Opera and made guest appearances with their ensemble in 1926 at the Metropolitan Opera in New York as Rosina in "Barbiere di Siviglia". (However, she did not become a member of this House). At the Salzburg Festival in 1925 and 1930 she was seen as Norina in "Don Pasquale" as well as at recitals and concerts. As a concert singer she also appeared in Budapest (1926, 1933), Paris (1931), Amsterdam (1932, 1933), Oslo (1922), Copenhagen (1932) and in Spain. She was famous as an operetta singer and as an interpreter of coloratura waltzes and canzons. When she made her debut, she had decided to sing for twenty years and not a day longer, which she then did. So she gave up her career in 1932, but sang Zerbinetta again in Berlin in 1934. In 1948 she received a professorship at the Vienna Music Academy, and in 1950 at the Berlin Music Academy. Her students included the famous sopranos Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Rita Streich, Renate Holm, Michi Tanaka and Alexandra Trianti. She spent her twilight years in Beatenberg, where she died very old.

TRACKLIST

1. An der schönen blauen Donau (Strauss) B24336 X12945 Brunswick, New York 1924-04-21

2. An der schönen blauen Donau (Strauss) DB4412 (62-4724) HMV, Berlin 1932-10-24

3. Ariadne auf Naxos (Strauss) Grossmächtige Prinzessin DB4405 (62-4710) HMV, Berlin 1932-06-04

4. Ariadne auf Naxos (Strauss) So war es mit Pagliazzo DB4405 (62-4711) HMV, Berlin 1932-06-04

5. Barbier von Bagdad (Cornelius) O holdes Bild (w. Erb) 76999 xxB6363 Odeon, Berlin 1917

6. Barbiere di Siviglia (Rossini) Una voce poco fà 85309 1833as Gramophone, Berlin 1924-0709

7. Bohème (Puccini) Man nennt mich jetzt nur Mimi Lxx76809 xxB6372 Odeon, Berlin 1917

8. Die Post (Schubert) 15075 12972 Brunswick, New York 1924-04-23

9. Don Pasquale (Donizetti) Auch ich versteh' die feine Kunst Lxx76972 xxB6248 Odeon, Berlin 1916 (medio)

10. Don Pasquale (Donizetti) Laß es, o laß es mich hören (w. Erb) Lxx76998 xxB6367 Odeon, Berlin 1917

11. Don Pasquale (Donizetti) Quel guardo... Ah! un foco insolito J24016 1421as Polydor, Berlin 1923

12. Entführung aus dem Serail (Mozart) Martern aller Arten 76555 1423as Gramophone, Berlin 1923

13. Fledermaus (Strauss) Klänge der Heimat (Czardas) DB4412 (62-4727) HMV, Berlin 1933-02-01

14. Fledermaus (Strauss) Mein Herr Marquis B24235 1851as Gramophone Berlin 1924-0709

15. Frühlingsstimmen Walzer (Strauss) 85313 889½az Gramophone, Berlin 1925-0409

16. Geschichten aus dem Wiener Wald (Strauss) B24210 1422as Gramophone, Berlin 1923

17. Geschichten aus dem Wienerwald (Strauss) Lxx76978 xxB6321 Odeon, Berlin 1917

18. Gsätzli (trad); Maria auf dem Berge (trad) DA4402 (60-9805) HMV, Berlin 1932-05-09

19. Horch, horch, die Lerch' (Schubert) 15075 12970 Brunswick, New York 1924-04-23

20. Huguenots (Meyerbeer) Ihr edlen Herr'n allhier! Lxx76997 xxB6384 Odeon, Berlin 1917

21. Huguenots (Meyerbeer) Pagen-Arie 85312 1855as Gramophone Berlin 1924-0709

22. Il bacio (Arditi) J24099 X7799 Brunswick, New York 1922-03

23. Il Pensieroso (Händel) Sweet bird 85313 887½az Gramophone, Berlin 1925-0409

24. La Villanelle (dell' Acqua) Lxx76981 xxB6331 Odeon, Berlin 1917

25. Liebesfreud (Kreisler) 50050 X12943 Brunswick, New York 1924-04-21

26. Lucia di Lammermoor (Donizetti) Ardon gl'incensi  Lxx76977 xxB6328 Odeon, Berlin 1917

27. Lustigen Weiber von Windsor (Nicolai) Nun eilt herbei Lxx76811 xxB6383 Odeon, Berlin 1917

28. Nocturno (Chopin) Lxx76975, xxB6332 Odeon, Berlin 1917

29. O schöner Mai (Strauss) B24350 X12939 Brunswick, New York 1924-04-21

30. O, du liabs Aengeli (trad); Z'Lauterbach hab'I mein Strumpf verlor'n (trad) DA4402 (60-9804) HMV, Berlin 1932-05-09

31. Perle du Brésil (David) Charmant oiseau F24034 X7787 Brunswick, New York 1922-03

32. Rigoletto (Verdi) Caro nome 85309 1834as Gramophone, Berlin 1924-0709

33. Schweizer-Echolied (Eckert) B24337 X12360 Brunswick, New York 1924-01-23

34. Sonnambula (Bellini) Ah non giunge Lxx76971 xxB6243 Odeon, Berlin 1916 (medio)

35. Traviata (Verdi) 's ist seltsam B24214 1429as Gramophone, Berlin 1923

36. Traviata (Verdi) s' ist seltsam XX76982 xxB7084 Odeon, Berlin 1924-11-24

37. Traviata (Verdi) 's ist seltsam...Er ist es Lxx76982 xxB6249 Odeon, Berlin 1916 (medio)

38. Zauberflöte (Mozart) Der Hölle Rache 85310 1856as Gramophone, Berlin 1924-0709

39. Zauberflöte (Mozart) O zittre nicht 85310 1835as Gramophone, Berlin 1924-0709