The German tenor Gerhard Siegel began his musical career as an instrumentalist and composer. After completing his voice training with Liselotte Becker-Egner at the Augsburg Conservatory, he became an ensemble member of the Stadttheater Trier. Here the stage version of Heinrich Heine’s “Deutschland – ein Wintermärchen”, for which he composed the music, had its world premier. In 1995 Gerhard Siegel was the winner at the International Hans Gabor Belvedere Singing Competition in Vienna. After an engagement as dramatic and lyric tenor at the Anhaltisches Theater Dessau and guest performances in Germany, Bulgaria, Holland and Spain, he was engaged in Augsburg in 1997.
In 1998 he debuted at the Bavarian State Opera in Munich. From 1999 to 2006 he was under contract at the Nuremberg Theater, where he was primarily able to expand his repertoire in the field of dramatic and heroic tenor. Here he sang Parsifal, Bacchus, Herodes, Florestan, Laca (“Jenufa“) and Sergej (“Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District”), but also Mephistopheles (“Doctor Faust” by Busoni), Tom Rakewell and Alfredo. He won special acclaim for his debut as Stolzing (“Meistersinger”) and in the title role of “Siegfried”.
As a freelance singer since 2006, Gerhard Siegel has made guest appearances as Max in the new production of Weber’s “Freischütz” at the Comic Opera Berlin, in Hindemith’s “Nusch-Nuschi” under Gerd Albrecht and as Max in “Jonny spielt auf” in Cologne, as Florestan at the Granada Festival, as Weill’s “Protagonist” at the Bregenz Festival, as Herodes at the Opéra Montpellier and at the Vienna State Opera, as Hauptmann (“Wozzeck”) at Teatro Real Madrid, at the Opéra Bastille in Paris, at Covent Garden London and at the Met New York, in Zemlinsky’s “Traumgörge” at the Deutschen Oper Berlin and as Sellem in “The Rake’s Progress” at the Theater an der Wien, “Lulu” in Geneva and Madrid, Schuiskij in „Boris Godunow“ in Munich .A central role in his repertoire today is Mime in “Rheingold” and “Siegfried”. He sang the part on the occasion of his debuts at the Metropolitan Opera New York, at the Bayreuth Festival and at the Covent Garden in London, in the “Ring” directed by Jeffrey Tate at the Cologne Opera, and also at Covent Garden London and under Jun Markel in Tokio.
Another artistic highlight was Schönberg’s “Gurrelieder” (Klaus-Narr) on a tour with Michael Gielen and the SWR Symphony Orchestra and his debut with “Tristan and Isolde” and “Mahagonny” in Augsburg.
After Mime in « Rhinegold » and « Siegfried » in Barcelona, Dresden, New York and Tokyo, « Lulu » in Amsterdam, « Wozzeck » (Captain) in Chicago and Salzburg (Festival), Prince Schuiskij in « Boris Godunow » in Munich, « Herod » at the Vienna State Opera, Zurich Opera House, with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and at the Verbier Festival conducted by Charles Dutoit and Midas in « The Love of Danae » at the Salzburg Festival, 2017 still has in store the Witch at the Metropolitan Opera New York.
The next years will see the « Ring » in Dresden and « Salome » at the Berlin State Opera, « Tristan » in Cleveland and song recitals in New York, Staunton/Virginia and Texas. « Salome » in Budapest, the « Ring » as well as the Witch in London. Also planned: « Wozzeck » in New York, the « Ring » in Paris, « Le Grand Macabre » in Dresden.