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Siegmund Nimsgern

German bass-baritone (1940–2025) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Siegmund Nimsgern
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Siegmund Nimsgern (14 January 1940 – 14 September 2025) was a German bass-baritone who made an international career. His signature roles were "evil, dark, ambiguous figures"[1] such as Pizarro in Beethoven's Fidelio and Telramund in Wagner's Lohengrin. Other dark roles he performed include Kaspar in Weber's Der Freischütz, Ruthven in Marschner's Der Vampyr, Klingsor in Wagner's Parsifal, Scarpia in Puccini's Tosca, Bartók's Bluebeard and Hindemith's Cardillac. He performed at La Scala in Milan and the Metropolitan Opera in New York, and portrayed Wotan in Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen at the Bayreuth Festival from 1983 to 1986. He was also known for performing works by Bach in concert and in recordings, including cantata cycles and major works with Nikolaus Harnoncourt and Helmuth Rilling. He recorded Schoenberg's Die Jakobsleiter and Gurre-Lieder conducted by Pierre Boulez and took part in a 1989 recording of Lohengrin that won a Grammy Award.

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Life and career

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Nimsgern was born in Sankt Wendel, Saarland, on 14 January 1940.[2] As a boy he had a soprano voice.[3] After leaving school in 1960 he studied musicology, German and philosophy at the University of Saarbrücken,[1] He studied voice and musical education at the Hochschule für Musik Saar with Sibylle Fuchs, Jakob Stämpfli and Paul Lohmann [de].[2][4] He won the 1965 International Vocal Competition 's-Hertogenbosch and the 1967 Mendelssohn Competition in Berlin.[1]

Nimsgern made his debut at the Saarländisches Staatstheater in Saarbrücken in 1967 as Lionel in Tchaikovsky's The Maid of Orleans.[1][2] In 1971, he went to the Deutsche Oper am Rhein in Düsseldorf and Duisburg for three years.[1] One of his early successes was Escamillo in Bizet's Carmen.[3]

He appeared internationally from 1973, first at the Royal Opera House in London as Amfortas in Wagner's Parsifal in 1973.[1] He performed the role also at the Paris Opéra in 1974, Kreon in Stravinsky's Oedipus rex in 1979, and later both Telramund in Wagner's Lohengrin and Pizarro in Beethoven's Fidelio, which became two signature roles.[1] He used "differentiated vocal gestures" and articulation of the language to portray "evil, dark, ambiguous figures" including also Ruthven in Marschner's Der Vampyr, Klingsor in Parsifal, and the title roles in Bartók's Bluebeard's Castle and Hindemith's Cardillac.[1] Nimsgern performed at La Scala in Milan, at the Orange Festival from 1976 to 1979 and in 1989, and at the Arena di Verona in 1980.[2] He performed at the 1989 Ludwigsburg Festival as Kaspar in Weber's Der Freischütz and at the Vienna State Opera as Dr. Vigelius in Schreker's Der ferne Klang.[5][6] In 1993 he appeared as Altair in Die ägyptische Helena by R. Strauss at the Megaron hall in Athens.[5]

Nimsgern made his debut at the Metropolitan Opera in New York as Pizarro, returning for Jochanaan in Salome by R. Strauss.[2] He performed at the Opéra de Montréal and the San Francisco Opera.[2] When he appeared as Scarpia in Puccini's Tosca at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, he interpreted him as the foreboding of a fascist sadist; his interpretation was hailed as the best Scarpia since Tito Gobbi.[1]

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Nimsgern as Wotan in Bayreuth in 1985

From 1983 to 1986, Nimsgern portrayed Wotan in Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen at the Bayreuth Festival, conducted by Georg Solti and directed by Peter Hall.[1][5][7] He appeared as Alberich in the Ring cycle recorded by Marek Janowski, portraying the character "with pale colours of defiance and rage" and expressive language.[1]

He recorded numerous operas including Der Vampyr, Weinberger's Schwanda the Bagpiper, Flotow's Martha, Pergolesi's La serva padrona, and Wagner's Parsifal. He appeared as Kurwenal in a 1978 live recording of Wagner's Tristan und Isolde at La Scala conducted by Carlos Kleiber, alongside Spas Wenkoff and Catarina Ligendza in the title roles.[8] He recorded Humperdinck's Hänsel und Gretel, conducted by John Pritchard.[9] He took part in a 1989 recording of Wagner's Lohengrin, conducted by Solti with Plácido Domingo in the title role and Jessye Norman as Elsa, that won a Grammy Award.[10]

From the beginning, Nimsgern focused on singing in concert, especially in works by Johann Sebastian Bach that he performed with leading conductors in Europe and the United States.[5] He took part in recordings of Bach cantata cycles and major works such as the Mass in B minor and the Christmas Oratorio[1] with Nikolaus Harnoncourt[11] and Helmuth Rilling.[12] He recorded Schoenberg Die Jakobsleiter in the role of Gabriel, conducted by Pierre Boulez in 1982.[13]

Nimsgern taught voice as a guest professor at the Hochschule für Musik Saar and at the Mozarteum in Salzburg.[1][14]

Personal life

Nimsgern lived with his family in Sankt Ingbert, Saarland.[14] He and his wife Mechthild[15] had a son, the musical theatre composer Frank Nimsgern.[16]

Nimsgern died in Sankt Ingbert on 14 September 2025, at the age of 85.[1][3][7]

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Writings

  • Nimsgern, Siegmund; Strahler, Elisabeth (2007). Rampenfieber : Stimmlippenbekenntnisse (in German). St. Ingbert: Wassermann Verl. ISBN 978-3-928030-65-6. OCLC 985545884.

Discography

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References

External links

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