Herbert Janssen

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Herbert Janssen (* September 22, 1895 in Cologne; † June 3, 1965 in New York) was a german baritone.

[edit] biography

Janssen, who came from a very music loving family, got his first singing lessons in his early youth. Still he studied law first before deciding for a career in professional singing.

In 1922 the singer got his first contract at Berlin State Opera, starting with small roles but rising in hierarchy quickly: A year later, during the season 1923/24 he appeared as Wolfram in Richard Wagner's Tannhäuser for the first time, a role that would become one of his trademarks.

Janssen stayed a member of the State Opera's ensemble until 1937. During this time he appeared as a guest at all the important opera houses and festivals in Europe:

Since 1925 Janssen spent the summer months at the Wagner-Festival at the Zoppoter Waldoper. From 1926 until World War II he regularly sang at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, London. Guest appearances led him to Vienna State Opera, Nationaltheater München, Opera Garnier in Paris, Semperoper Dresden, Barcelona und Den Haag.

From 1930 to 1937 he sang at the Bayreuth Festival.

1938 Janssen left Germany out of protest against the Nazi government and went to Buenos Aires. From 1939 on he lived in New York City, where he sang at the Metropolitan Opera until the end of his career in 1951.

He stayed in New York and worked as a much sought teacher until his death in 1965.

[edit] Repertory

Herbert Janssen originally had sung an extensive and manifold repertory: He sang Mozart roles (Conte in Le Nozze di Figaro), Lortzing's (Zar Peter in Zar und Zimmermann, much Verdi (Conte di Luna in Il Trovatore (one of his favorite roles), Renato in Un ballo in maschera, Jago in Otello, etc.), Bizet (Escamillo in Carmen), and much else.

Yet on the peak of his career - especially at the MET - he was mostly cast in his great Wagner-roles (which he himself regretted since he missed the diversity).

In his time Janssen was considered as the most important singer of the more lyrical baritone parts in Richard Wagner's operas in the world. He was most famous for his impersonation of Kurwenal (Tristan und Isolde), Amfortas (Parsifal) and most of all Wolfram in Tannhäuser.

But Janssen also was an important Lieder-singer - in an era, when this form of art was not really appreciated.

Janssens had a soft, rich and velvety voice with an italian timbre.