Erwin Wohlfahrt

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Erwin Wohlfahrt (born January 13, 1932 in Nuremberg , † November 28, 1968 in Hamburg ) was a German opera singer ( tenorbuffo / character tenor ). His last position was at the Hamburg State Opera . In 1967 he was appointed Kammersänger by the Senate of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg .

Life

Wohlfahrts autograph as Albert Herring at the Hamburg State Opera, 1966

Wohlfahrt initially wanted to become a conductor, but switched saddles during his studies at the Nuremberg Conservatory and studied singing with Willi Domgraf-Fassbaender . His first engagement took him to Aachen at the age of 22 . He then sang at the Komische Oper Berlin under Walter Felsenstein the Albert Herring , the Monostatos in The Magic Flute and Pedrillo in the Abduction from the Seraglio . He then went to the Cologne Opera House and from there to the Hamburg State Opera, where he became a permanent member of the ensemble, participated in various world premieres and was appointed chamber singer.

Welfare grave in the Ohlsdorf cemetery in Hamburg

In Wieland Wagner's Cologne production of the Ring of the Nibelung from 1963, he sang the mime for the first time, which has since become one of his star roles. Since 1963 Erwin Wohlfahrt has also appeared at the Bayreuth Festival , where he made his debut as David in Wieland Wagner's new production of the Meistersinger . In Wieland Wagner's Bayreuth new production of the Ring des Nibelungen from 1965, he sang the mime in Rheingold and Siegfried until 1967 . At the Salzburg Easter Festival in 1968 under the direction of Herbert von Karajan he appeared for the last time as a mime. Shortly afterwards he had to cancel all engagements due to a viral illness, including his first engagement at the New York Metropolitan Opera , which was planned for November 1968. He died on November 28, 1968 at the age of 36 after a long illness of an "unknown" virus. He was buried in the Ohlsdorf cemetery in Hamburg .

Wohlfahrt was particularly convincing on stage with his portrayal of Mime and Albert Herring.

Discography (selection)

  • Richard Wagner, Das Rheingold , Mime, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra under Karl Böhm (1966)
  • Richard Wagner, Das Rheingold , Mime, Berliner Philharmoniker under Herbert von Karajan (1966)
  • Richard Wagner, Siegfried , Mime, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra under Karl Böhm (1966)
  • Ludwig van Beethoven, Fidelio , Jaquino, Hamburg Philharmonic State Orchestra under Leopold Ludwig , director: Joachim Hess, (DVD, 1968)

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ knerger.de: Erwin Wohlfahrt's grave
personal data
SURNAME Welfare, Erwin
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German opera singer (tenorbuffo / character tenor)
DATE OF BIRTH January 13, 1932
PLACE OF BIRTH Nuremberg
DATE OF DEATH November 28, 1968
Place of death Hamburg