Max Staegemann (10 May 1843 – 29 January 1905) was a German actor, operatic baritone and theatre director.
Life
Actor and singer
Born in Bad Freienwalde in the Prussian Province of Brandenburg, Staegemann came from the Berlin merchant family Staegemann. His mother was Mathilde Leontine née Devrient (28 June 1809 in Berlin – 25 October 1884 in Leipzig), the sister of the actors Karl, Emil and Eduard Devrient, who was famous for her beauty.
Staegemann attended the Kreuzschule in Dresden, where the family had moved. Especially his uncle Emil encouraged the acting talent of his nephew, who was supposed to attend university according to his father's wish. Staegemann chose instead to attend the Dresdner Konservatorium, where the actor Heine gave him lessons in dramatic performance. As early as 1862, the talented eleve received an engagement at the Bremer Stadttheater. There, Staegemann perfected his acting techniques under director Heinrich Behr. At the same time, he trained his singing voice, a naturally melodious, powerful baritone.
