Joseph Michael Schwarz

Joseph M. Schwarz (10 October 1880 – 10 November 1926) was a Russian-born German baritone. His initial studies and performances in music were as a pianist in Riga. He grew up in poverty and had nine siblings. Part of a Jewish family, he attended services at Riga's Great Choral Synagogue on Gogol Street where the singing of cantor Baruch Leib Rosowsky had a profound impact on his decision to pursue a career as a vocalist. He joined the choir at that synagogue and had his initial vocal instruction in that ensemble. Still a teenager, he was able to pursue formal education as a singer through the aid of a wealthy Russian nobleman.

Later life and singing career Schwarz made his professional opera debut in 1900 in Verdi's Aida at the Linz State Theatre. Some of the other roles in his repertoire included Germont in La traviata, Iago in Otello, Scarpia in Puccini's Tosca, Tonio in Leoncavallo's Pagliacci, Wolfram in Wagner's Tannhäuser, and the title role in Rigoletto.

Schwarz left Germany for the United States where he was a principal artist with first the Chicago Opera Association and then its predecessor, the Chicago Civic Opera from 1921 to 1925. Clara was the daughter of sugar manufacturer Paul Isenberg. His last performance was in the role of Rigoletto which he portrayed in Berlin shortly before his death in 1926. He developed a medical problem with his kidneys which required surgery in 1926. He died during that surgery in Berlin on 10 November 1926.

Recordings Schwarz made several recordings during his career, the first of which were released in 1906 by Zonophone. He made several phonograph cylinder recordings in 1907 in Vienna. In 1910–1911 he made several recordings released by Pathé Records. He also made records with Parlophone in Vienna in 1911 and in Berlin in 1913. From 1916 to 1919 he made several recordings with the Deutsche Grammophon label. A planned Christmas record for Vox Records was supposed to be recorded in 1926, the year of Schwarz's death, but never happened.