His voice was discovered when he was a prisoner of war in the Soviet Union; he got his first voice lessons from a
fellow POW, who was Rudolf Schock's brother, and eventually got the permit from the
camp authorities to study at the Riga conservatory.
Released in 1949, he completed his studies, was a chorister at the 1951 Bayreuth Festival, and got a comprimario contract in
Düsseldorf two years later. His next career step was Wuppertal, and in 1957 he arrived at the Bavarian State Opera Munich,
where he stayed for the rest of his career. After retiring, he taught voice at the Richard Strauss Conservatory in Munich.
He sang always small, but often important parts: Monostatos, Steuermann, Froh, David (his most prominent creation), Mime,
Pedrillo, Jacquino, Tinca, Andres in Wozzeck, Parpignol, and many more.
Reference: Kutsch & Riemens
Picture source
