Rolf Apreck (Tenor)

Born: February 9, 1928 - Leipzig, Germany
Died: May 21, 1989 - Leipzig, Germany

The German tenor, Rolf Apreck, was trained at the Hochschule für Musik in Leipzig with Friedrich Härtel and Hans Lissmann. During this time he already sang oratorio solos at the Leipzig's Universitätskirche.

Since 1952 Rolf Apreck belonged to the soloist ensemble of the George Frideric Handel concerts in Halle (Saale). In 1956 he was engaged at the Landestheater of Halle, where he made his debut as Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni. In 1959 he was appointed as young Heldentenor (hero tenor) at the to the Opernhaus of Leipzig, but by appearance engagements he was also connected with the Staatsoper as well as the Komischen Oper Berlin. In 1965 he appeared as a guest at the Bolshoi Theatre of Moscow as Erik in the Fliegenden Holländer. Since 1954 he appeared repeatedly as a concert singer in West Germany and in Switzerland, 1959 in London and Coventry. In addition he was active as a teacher in Jena, Halle and Leipzig.

Rolf Apreck's best achievements were in roles as Tamino in Zauberflöte, Florestan in Fidelio, Max in Freischütz, Bacchus in Ariadne auf Naxos by R. Strauss, Riccardo in Maskenball by Verdi, Alvaro in La forza del destino, José in Carmen, Pierre in War and Peace by Prokofiev and King Charles VII in Tchaikovsky's Virgin of Orléans. He remained engaged at the Leipzig Opera House until the end of the 1980's, where he performed later also character roles.

Recordings: on Eterna label, several complete operas (Radamisto by G.F. Handel, Die Entführung aus dem Serail, Carmen, Die verkaufte Braut, Mozart's Requiem); on Telefunken small part in Die Verurteilung des Lukullus by Paul Dessau; on DGG solo in Lukas-Passion by Heinrich Schütz.

Source: Operissimo Website, English translation by Aryeh Oron (August 2005)
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (August 2005); Matthias Hansen (Photo 01 - January 2010); Manfred Krugmann (Dates & Photo 02, May 2011; Photo 03, July 2011)

Recordings of Bach Cantatas & Other Vocal Works

Conductor

As

Works

Günther Ramin

Tenor

BWV 36, BWV 243 [2^nd]

Kurt Thomas

Tenor

BWV 201

Links to other Sites