Peter Anders

Anders excelled in opera, operetta, and lieder, and today his whole-hearted but not schmaltzy performances of Lehar and Johann Strauss, Jr. are considered some of the best on record. While his core repertoire was German, and his style was decidedly more German than Italianate (especially in contrast to the current style of Italian singing, as exemplified by Gigli), he appeared in the core Italian repertoire as well. He had an excellent technique, the ability to singing at all dynamics, including an exquisite pianissimo, and a natural sense of phrasing, though many listeners found his voice more correct than passionate. Anders studied at the Berlin Academy, and later with Lula Mysz-Gmeiner. His stage debut was in the chorus in Reinhardt's La belle Hélène in Berlin, and after his solo debut the next year at the Heidelburg opera house, he began to expand his career throughout Germany. He appeared in the world premiere of Richard Strauss' Friedenstag in 1938. In 1948, Anders joined the Hamburg Opera and there began to move into the heavier German repertoire, such as Bacchus in Strauss' Ariadne auf Naxos and Siegmund in Wagner's Die Walkure. In these roles, however, his singing seemed somewhat strained. He died in an automobile accident in Hamburg.