Kurt Böhme

Kurt Böhme ( born May 5, 1908 in Dresden, † December 20, 1989 in Munich) was a German opera singer in the bass voice.

Life

Böhme studied at the Conservatory of Dresden and made his debut in 1930 in Bautzen in Carl Maria von Weber's Der Freischütz. Already this first appearance was remarkable: He sang two roles - the villain Kaspar ( one of his later signature roles ) and the hermit. Three minutes remained to him here in the last act to change clothes.

A few months after his debut Bautzen signed him the Staatsoper his hometown. There Boehme's career began with the Fafner in Wagner's Das Rheingold. From 1930 to 1950 he remained a member of the ensemble of the famous Dresden State Opera, where he shone, especially in Richard Strauss operas. In 1949 he was engaged by the Munich State Opera, the Vienna State Opera in 1955. At the Salzburg and Bayreuth Festival, he was a crowd favorite. In the 1950s and 1960s, he was worldwide, also because of his acting talent, demand both as a bass buffo ( Baron Ochs ) as well as the villain ( Kaspar 1954 with Wilhelm Furtwängler, Fafner in Rheingold 1958, and in Siegfried in 1964 with Georg Solti ). Regularly guested Kurt Böhme in London, Buenos Aires and New York's Metropolitan Opera. Boehme also strove for contemporary music theater, in particular through its participation in numerous world premieres, such as Werner Egk Irish Legend (1955 ), Rolf Liebermann's School for Wives (1957) and Isang Yun Sim Tjon (1972). Until well into his seventh decade Böhme was on stage. In his long life he has about 120 singers sung roles - the ox while he played more than 500 times, the Kaspar about 350 times.

Equipped with an unusually wide voice singer left behind a voluminous discography, although he was surpassed by its competitors in Gottlob Frick was still alive.

End of 1989, Kurt Böhme died of heart failure. He is buried in the cemetery in Munich- Haidhausen.

Discography (selection)

• The Flying Dutchman: Daland: Kurt Böhme, Senta: Helene Werth, Erik: Bernd Aldenhoff, Mary: Res Fischer, helmsman: Helmut Krebs, Dutch: Hans Hotter - choir and symphony orchestra of the Norddeutscher Rundfunk - Wilhelm Schüchter - Hamburg 1951
• The Abduction from the Seraglio: Erika Köth ( Konstanze ), Lisa Otto ( Blonde ), Rudolf Schock (Belmonte ), Murray Dickie ( Pedrillo ), Kurt Böhme ( Osmin ), Hanns Georg leaves Thal ( Pasha Selim ), Chorus of the Vienna State Opera, Vienna Philharmonic, George Szell