German opera singer
He was an operatic basso profundo.
He took cello lessons in childhood, but did not plan a career in music. A school chorus director recognized his vocal talent and urged him to take up singing seriously. He started out in regional German opera companies in Aachen, Mainz and Wuppertal. In 1969 he joined the Hamburg Opera, where he sang 70 different roles within a span of five years.
