Mariska Aldrich


Mariska Aldrich was an American dramatic soprano singer and actress. She was born in Boston, Massachusetts. She was a pupil of Alfred Giraudet and George Henschel. She debuted at the Manhattan Opera House in 1908, as the Page in Les Huguenots. She sang with the Manhattan Opera House from 1909 to 1913. She was committed to the Metropolitan Opera in 1910–1911, where she performed the roles of Azucena in Il trovatore, Fricka in Das Rheingold, Lola in Cavalleria Rusticana, Naoia in Frederick Converse's Iolan, Or, the Pipe of Desire, and Venus in Tannhäuser, Her voice changed from contralto to dramatic soprano while she was in Europe. She sang the part of Brunnhilde in Bayreuth in 1914. She married J. Frank Aldrich on April 18, 1901. She died in 1965.

Filmography

YearFilmRoleNotes
1934Lady by ChoiceLucretia-
1936CamilleFriend of Camille-
1941Whistling in the DarkHilda-

Mariska played a gloomy stiff zombie Igor-like woman called Hilda in Whistling in the Dark starring Red Skelton. Cult killers kidnap a radio sleuth and two girlfriends and force him to outline a perfect murder. 1941 Conrad Veidt played the cult leader con whose parting lie was "I leave you in radiant contemplation." Director S. Sylvan Simon – Described as Suspense/Comedy. 1 hour 30 minutes Turner Classic Movies