Hermin Esser | |
|---|---|
 Esser as Erik inDer fliegende Holländer | |
| Born | (1928-04-01)1 April 1928 |
| Died | 17 April 2009(2009-04-17) (aged 81) |
| Education | Robert-Schumann-Konservatorium |
| Occupation | Operatictenor |
| Organizations | |
Hermin Esser (1 April 1928 – 17 April 2009) was a German operatic tenor who focused on roles by Richard Wagner, which he performed at theBayreuth Festival and internationally.
Born inRheydt to a musical family, Esser was first a graphic designer and then began to study architecture.[1] He studied voice at theRobert-Schumann-Konservatorium inDüsseldorf withFranziska Martienssen-Lohmann.[1] He made his debut at theStadttheater Krefeld in 1954 and moved viaGelsenkirchen as a lyrical tenor to theKomische Oper Berlin in 1957, where he worked withWalter Felsenstein.[2]
When theBerlin Wall was built, he moved to theHessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden. His broad repertoire included Mozart'sDie Zauberflöte, Radames in Verdi'sAida, Rodolfo in Puccini'sLa Bohème, operas by Janáček (Jenůfa,Káťa Kabanová andAus einem Totenhaus), Alban Berg'sWozzeck and Aribert Reimann'sLear. He focused on stage works byRichard Wagner, which he also performed as a guest internationally.[2]
Esser first sang at theBayreuth Festival in 1966, on an invitation byWieland Wagner, as Froh inDas Rheingold.[1][3] In 1967, he appeared as Walther von der Vogelweide inTannhäuser. InDie Meistersinger von Nürnberg, he was David from 1967 to 1970 and Walther von Stolzing in 1975. He appeared as Erik inDer fliegende Holländer in 1970, 1971 and 1979. He sang the title role of Tannhäuser in 1972, 1974 and 1977.[3] The last role in Bayreuth, of 14 roles in eight stage works, was Tristan in 1981.[3]
Esser performed as a guest at major European opera houses, including theVienna State Opera, where he appeared as Tristan in Wagner'sTristan und Isolde, Siegfried inDer Ring des Nibelungen, and in the title role ofParsifal.[4] He performed at theHungarian State Opera House, theGrand Theatre in Warsaw, theCroatian National Theatre in Zagreb, and theOpernhaus Zürich, among others.[1] In 1988, he appeared at theStaatsoper Dresden as Herod inSalome byRichard Strauss.[1]
Esser died inWiesbaden on 17 April 2009.[5]
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