Theodor Formes

Born in Mülheim an der Ruhr 29 June 1826, he studied voice in Vienna and made his debut in Budapest (Edgardo, 1846). He was first a member of the Kärntnertortheater in Vienna, sang from 1848 in Mannheim, and from 1851 at the Berlin Hofoper as first heldentenor, for 15 years.

With his brother, basso Karl Formes, he went to America, but did not succeed there, and lost his voice. Back home in Germany, he recovered, and sang at the Theater an der Wien, in Kassel, Elberfeld, and 1870–72 once more at the Berlin Hofoper. Next, he got a contract at the Krolloper, where a mental disorder became manifest, and he died in October 1874 in a mental home in Endenich near Bonn.

Reference 1: Meyers Konversations-Lexikon, 1888/90
Reference 2: Kutsch & Riemens