Anton Dermota

The Austrian Theatre Museum is hosting a small exhibition on Anton Dermota, the tenor and celebrated performer of Mozart operas, that was lovingly put together by his daughter, Jovita Dermota. Bruno Walter had first engaged Dermota and the “1. Geharnischter” in Mozart’s Magic Flute was his debut role in Vienna where he soon became the firm favourite of opera lovers. After 1945, Anton Dermota remained at the Vienna Opera, appearing on the stage of its temporary home, the Theater an der Wien. Together with Maria Cebonari, Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Wilma Lipp, Irmgard Seefried, Sena Jurinac, Erich Kunz and Paul Schöffler he formed the legendary Mozart ensemble of the 1950s. In the performance that marked the reopening of the rebuilt Vienna State Opera House on November 5, 1955 he sang “Florestan” in Beethoven’s “Fidelio”.