No contradiction, and I was not criticizing! Forty years ago when the 1907 recording was transferred to LP as CO 417/8 it came with an extensive note in German by Einhard Luther. We learn that Rosalinde, Adčle, Orlofsky, Alfred and Eisenstein all were members of the Hofoper, and that three of them - Herzog, Dietrich and Philipp - had the same roles when Fledermaus was first performed there in 1899. Philipp sang there for 40 years until he was past 80, performing Eisenstein 200 times but also Faust, Don José, Stolzing and lots of lighter parts. In one season he sang six roles in Meistersinger: Stolzing, David, and four masters. So he cannot have been a true "star" but highly useful.
His wife, Dietrich, left the Hofoper aged 47 as Marie in Der Waffenschmied in 1912 after more than 20 years there. Herzog was considered a big star as Queen of the Night, Konstanze and Lucia. But when she was at the Met 1900 she only sang one Helmwige before Sembrich got her fired, fearing competition. According to the article she left New York in a rage, to gather successes in Moscow, St Petersburg, Paris, Brussels and London. "One of the most prominent members of the Berlin Hofoper." The fourth LP side is arias by Herzog from Robert, Hugenotten (Margarete), Traviata etc.
Julius Lieban was a leading Mime who celebrated his 75th birthday by again singing it at the Staatsoper in 1932. Etc. - one would need more sources to rate their importance, but for an early "complete" recording it's an uncommonly experienced and important cast.
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