Walter Geisler

His first voice teacher thought him to be a baritone, the second made him become a tenor. He began his career in 1938 in Greifswald; after one year, he was drafted into the army, and one year later released so as to continue singing. His next two contracts were in (then German-occupied) Northern Bohemia: Most/Brüx 1940–43, Liberec/Reichenberg 1943/44.

After the war, Geisler resumed his career in 1947; after one season each in Göttingen and Wiesbaden, he was hired by two opera theaters at the same time in 1949: State Opera Hamburg (until 1957), and Komische Oper Berlin (until 1955). The rest of his career was spent with guest appearances, focused around the Städtische Oper Berlin, the Vienna State Opera, Mannheim and Hannover.

He also appeared at the Berlin State Opera, Covent Garden, in Amsterdam, Liège, Graz or Bologna. At the Bayreuth Festival, he was Stolzing in 1957. His repertory was primarily heroic: Tristan, Siegmund, young Siegfried, Bacchus, Kaiser, Florestan, Radames, Otello; but he also sang José, Puccini's des Grieux, Rodolfo or – surprise – Belmonte.

After his career, he taught voice at the Berlin academy of music.