Few singers master such a wide range of styles throughout their entire lives as Franz Grundheber did. Even in his old age, the craftsman's son, born in Trier in 1937, presented a repertoire that ranged from the twelve-tone operas of classical modernism to Strauss and Verdi's great baritone roles. He last appeared on stage at the Deutsche Oper Berlin at the age of 72 as Scarpia in Boleslaw Barlog's legendary production of TOSCA. In Wagner's repertoire, Grundheber deliberately limited himself to what he himself called ‘bel canto roles’, including the Dutchman, which he first performed here in 1992 and most recently in 2009. He made his debut in 1974 as Silvio in PAGLIACCI. In the following years, he returned several times to Charlottenburg as the title hero in LE NOZZE DI FIGARO, the role with which he also made his debut at the Vienna State Opera, which was to become Grundheber's artistic centre of life in the 1980s. He began his career at the Hamburg State Opera, with which he always remained associated and where he sang a total of 124 roles in over 2,000 performances.

His international breakthrough took the bass-baritone to all the world's major opera houses. His extraordinary portrayal of Italian roles made him the first German to perform in AIDA at the Arena di Verona and the first German Rigoletto on the stage of the New York MET. The unparalleled flexibility that Franz Grundheber retained for longer than almost any other singer led him to perform increasingly at the Deutsche Oper Berlin, particularly in the 2000s, in roles such as Amfortas in PARSIFAL, Barak in DIE FRAU OHNE SCHATTEN and Amonasro in AIDA.

Franz Grundheber passed away in Hamburg on his 88th birthday. The Deutsche Oper Berlin mourns the loss of an exceptional singer and will honour his memory.