Heinz Rehfuss

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Heinz Julius Rehfuss (* 25. May 1917 in Frankfurt am Main as Heinz Julius Rehfuss ; † 27. June 1988 in Buffalo ) was a German- Swiss opera singer ( bass-baritone ), which later became the US citizen took. His name is mentioned above all in connection with the title roles in Don Giovanni and Boris Godunow , as well as Golaud in Pelléas et Mélisande .

Life

Heinz Rehfuss was born in Frankfurt am Main as the son of the baritone, concertist and teacher Carl Rehfuß (1885-1946) and his wife, the contralto Florentine Rehfuss Peichert. He spent his youth in Neuchâtel , where his father taught at the conservatory. Heinz Rehfuss only had lessons from his father. He made his debut in 1938 at the Städtebundtheater Biel-Solothurn as a choir singer, and from 1938–1939 he sang as a soloist in Lucerne .

From 1940 to 1952 he sang at the Zurich Opera House , where he interpreted around 80 roles. From 1952 he gave guest performances at opera houses all over Europe, including the La Scala in Milan , the Opéra National de Paris , the Vienna State Opera , the Bavarian State Opera , the Liceo in Barcelona, ​​the Opéra de Monaco , the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino , the Teatro La Fenice in Venice and the Edinburgh Festival to name a few. He went on concert tours to America, Asia and Africa. He was not only successful in dramatic roles, but also as an oratorio singer, especially as a Bach interpreter.

Heinz Rehfuß interpreted and arranged contemporary works by composers such as Stravinsky , Milhaud and Britten . In 1961 he sang in Venice in the world premiere of Nonos Intolleranza in 1960 and 1963 in that of Monsieur de Pourceaugnac by Frank Martin . In later years Rehfuss taught at the State University of New York in Buffalo , New York and was also a visiting professor at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester , New York, and at the Conservatoire de musique de Montréal .

Heinz Rehfuß died in Buffalo, New York.

Recordings (selection)

  • Bach - St. Matthew Passion - Hugues Cuénod, Heinz Rehfuss, Magda László, Hilde Rössel-Majdan, Petre Munteanu, Richard Standen, Akademie-Chor Wien, Orchestra of the Vienna State Opera, Hermann Scherchen (Westminster, 1953)
  • Beethoven - Fidelio - Gladys Kuchta, Julius Patzak, Heinz Rehfuss, Melita Muszely, Erich Wenk, Karl Kümmel, Helmut Kretschmar, NDR choir and orchestra, Carl Bamberger (TONO Zurich / Concert Hall, 1958) SMS-2120 Stereo
  • Debussy - Pelléas et Mélisande - Suzanne Danco, Pierre Mollet, Heinz Rehfuss - Choeur et Orchester de la Suisse Romande, Ernest Ansermet - (Decca, 1952)
  • Gounod - Faust - Léopold Simoneau, Pierrette Alarie, Heinz Rehfuss - Vienna Opera Chorus, Vienna Festival Orchestra, Gianfranco Rivoli - (VAI, 1963)
  • Gounod - Roméo et Juliette - Raoul Jobin, Janine Micheau, Heinz Rehfuss - Choeur et Orchester de l'Opéra de Paris, Alberto Erede - (Decca, 1953)
  • Mahler - Des Knaben Wunderhorn - Maureen Forrester, Heinz Rehfuss - Vienna Festival Orchestra, Felix Prohaska - (Vanguard, 1963)

film records

  • 1956: Mozart - Le nozze di Figaro - Heinz Rehfuss, Marcella Pobbé, Rosanna Carteri, Nicola Rossi-Lemeni, Dora Gatta - Coro e Orchestra della RAI Milano, Nino Sanzogno - (Hardy Classics)
  • 1956: Fidelio (vocals)

literature

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Rehfuss, Heinz
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Rehfuss, Heinz Julius (full name); Rehfuß, Heinz Julius (maiden name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German-Swiss opera singer (bass baritone)
DATE OF BIRTH May 25, 1917
PLACE OF BIRTH Frankfurt am Main
DATE OF DEATH June 27, 1988
Place of death Buffalo