Gerhard Unger

Gerhard Unger ( * November 26, 1916 in Salzungen, † July 4, 2011 in Stuttgart ) was a German character tenor.

Life

Unger, born in 1916 in Bad Salzungen, studied in Berlin and began his career due to the war only in 1945, first as a concert and oratorio singer. In 1947 he made ​​his debut as an opera singer in Weimar, from 1949 to 1961 he was a member of the Staatsoper Unter den Linden, shortly before the completion of the Berlin Wall, he settled in Stuttgart. In 1951, he sang regularly at the Bayreuth Festival.

Gerhard Unger is rightly regarded as the David ( The Mastersingers of Nuremberg) of the 20th century, which the recordings by Herbert von Karajan (1951 ), Rudolf Kempe ( also 1951 and 1956) and Rafael Kubelik (1968 ) certainly confirm. He had a youthful bright, friendly voice, a sunny timbre and much comic talent. At the age of 52 years, he still sounded as fresh and enthusiastic as demanded by his role.

Even as Monostatos ( The Magic Flute ), he shined, including the recording of Otto Klemperer (1963).