Description

WILHELM SCHIRP (BASS) (ELBERFELD, JULY 27, 1906 – BAD AIBLING, DECEMBER 26, 1974)

 

 

 

 

He trained at the Cologne Conservatory and with Arthur Thiele in Cologne. He made his debut in 1928 as a bass at the Cologne Opera House, where he remained until 1934 and took part, among other things, in the world premiere of Siegfried Wagner’s opera Der Heidenkönig (December 16, 1933).

From 1934 to 1935, he was engaged at the Mainz City Theatre, and from 1935 to 1949 at the Berlin Municipal Opera (Deutsches Opernhaus), where he participated in the world premiere of Werner Egk’s opera Circe in 1948. From 1938 to 1939, he was a guest artist at the Vienna State Opera. In 1938, he sang the role of Hagen in Götterdämmerung at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, in London.

He also made guest appearances in Hamburg, Munich, and Leipzig. In 1939, he performed at the opera houses of Antwerp and Brussels. At the Zoppot Festival in 1939, he appeared as the Landgrave in Tannhäuser and in roles in the Ring cycle.

From 1949 to 1952, and again from 1956 to 1961, he was a member of the Cologne Opera, where he also sang heroic baritone roles. From 1952 to 1956, he was engaged at the Stuttgart State Opera. In 1950, he made a guest appearance at the Teatro Liceu in Barcelona as Hans Sachs in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, and in 1956 at the Paris Opera in Beethoven’s Fidelio. In 1959, he appeared as a guest at the Graz Theatre.

He recorded for Telefunken. Scenes from Götterdämmerung (London, 1938) were issued on Acanta.

 

 

TRACKLIST

 

Telefunken, Berlin 1939

Vêpres Siciliennes (Verdi): Du, mein Palermo E2928 023872

Eugen Onegin (Tchaikovsky): Ein jeder kennt die Lieb’ auf Erden E2928 024327

Don Carlos (Verdi): Arie des Philipp (Sie hat mich nie geliebt) 1. Teil E 2831 023873 I

Don Carlos (Verdi): Arie des Philipp (Sie hat mich nie geliebt) 2. Teil E 2831 023874

Zauberflöte (Mozart): O Isis und Osiris E3049 024624

Zauberflöte (Mozart): In diesen heil’gen Hallen E3049 024625

 

Telefunken, Berlin 1940

Fliegende Holländer (Wagner): Mögst du, mein Kind E3130 025189

Waffenschmied (Lortzing): Auch ich war ein Jüngling E3130 025190

Prodana Nevesta (Smetana): Komm, mein Söhnchen, pt 1 (w. Anders) E3114 025194

Prodana Nevesta (Smetana): Komm, mein Söhnchen, pt 2 (w. Anders) E3114 025195