Heather Walrath
The beautiful sound of opera enthralls many, and Angelika Eder’s sound enlightened many in Europe in the early 1930s, but sadly, that included Adolph Hitler who strongly suggested that Angelika sing for him. Was this what she wanted?
This is the conflict in Heather Walrath’s historical novel “The Diva’s Daughter,” that hinges on the intersection of art and politics, an intersection that is revealed throughout time. “I wanted to shed light upon the dark realities of this time period in a way that is accessible to both regular readers of historical fiction and those who might not usually read this genre, or who may feel intimidated by dense works of non-fiction,” said Walrath. She suggests the parallel between then and recent times with politics and entertainment at the Kennedy Center, or is it the Trump-Kennedy Center?
Walrath’s novel is inspired by the true story of renowned opera singer Lotte Lehmann, who mentors fictional heroine Angelika in “The Diva’s Daughter.” During the Nazi era, party officials pressured Madame Lehmann and other performers to form alliances with them. Through the eyes of Angelika, Walrath explores the dangers and decisions these artists faced, including questions about what constitutes complicity or resistance.
Walrath, a Burke resident, raises questions of art, politics and censorship that are still relevant today, bringing up the notion of artists and patrons standing up for their beliefs. This is an underlying theme of her novel.
Walrath is a fan of opera, musical theater and the arts. Her husband, Stephen Walrath, has a grandfather who was in the Army Signal Corps during World War II and saw the horrors of Hitler during his involvement in the liberation of Dachau, a concentration camp in Germany where over 40,000 prisoners died. As the number of WWII veterans decreases through the years, Walrath says, "it is more important than ever to keep this era and its lessons alive through recorded history and stories."
The Hills are Alive
The noted musical "The Sound of Music," was inspirational to Walrath but she noticed the family's mother was "rarely mentioned," she said. Angelika's mother was an opera star, so Walrath looked on this as a subplot in her story.
Walrath grew up in the Los Angeles suburbs and got involved with history and writing after an inspirational high school teacher provided some encouragement. She went on to get a bachelor’s degree in journalism from California State University Northridge and, after moving to the DC area for a congressional internship program, earned her master’s degree in publishing from George Washington University.
“The Diva’s Daughter” is Walrath’s debut novel, but she’s currently pitching her second book, “The Banished Baker’s Forgotten Recipe,” which is set in Yonkers, New York, during Prohibition.
