Feodor Chaliapin
Feodor Ivanovich Chaliapin (Russian: Фёдор Ива́нович Шаля́пин, romanized: Fyodor Ivanovich Shalyapin) was a Russian opera singer. He was born on February 13, 1873 (Old Style: February 1, 1873), and died on April 12, 1938. Chaliapin had a deep and emotional bass voice.
Nicolai Ghiaurov
Nicolai Ghiaurov (also spelled Nikolai Gjaurov or Nikolay Gyaurov; September 13, 1929, to June 2, 2004) was a Bulgarian opera singer and one of the most well-known basses after World War II. He was admired for his strong and rich voice, and he was especially known for singing roles written by composers Mussorgsky and Verdi. Ghiaurov married the Bulgarian pianist Zlatina Mishakova in 1956 and the Italian soprano Mirella Freni in 1978.
Boris Christoff
Boris Christoff (Bulgarian: Борис Кирилов Христов, written using the Latin alphabet as Boris Kirilov Hristov, IPA: [boˈris ˈkiriɫof ˈxristof]; born May 18, 1914; died June 28, 1993) was a Bulgarian opera singer. He was recognized as one of the greatest bass singers of the 20th century.
Cesare Siepi
Cesare Siepi was born on February 10, 1923, and passed away on July 5, 2010. He was an Italian opera singer who specialized in bass roles and was often considered one of the best bass singers after World War II. His voice was known for having a deep, warm sound.
Fritz Wunderlich
Friedrich “Fritz” Karl Otto Wunderlich was born on September 26, 1930, and died on September 17, 1966. He was a German lyric tenor, a type of male singer known for his high, clear voice. He was famous for singing music written by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and for performing art songs called lieder.
Peter Schreier
Peter Schreier was born on July 29, 1935, and passed away on December 25, 2019. He was a German singer known for performing in operas, concerts, and art songs. He was also a conductor, meaning he led musical groups.
Hermann Prey
Hermann Prey (pronounced [praɪ]), born in Berlin on July 11, 1929, and died in Krailling on July 22, 1998, was a German lyric baritone. He performed in operas, concert music, and German art songs. His first performance in the United States was in November 1952 with the Philadelphia Orchestra and conductor Eugene Ormandy.
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (German: [ˌdiːtʁɪç ˌfɪʃɐ ˈdiːskaʊ̯]; 28 May 1925 – 18 May 2012) was a German singer and conductor of classical music. He was one of the most well-known performers of Lieder (songs with words, often performed in concerts) after World War II. He is best known for singing songs by Franz Schubert, especially “Winterreise.” His recordings of this work with accompanists Gerald Moore and Jörg Demus are still highly praised more than 50 years after they were made.
Hans Hotter
Hans Hotter was born on January 19, 1909, and died on December 6, 2003. He was a German opera singer known as a bass-baritone. He was 6 feet 4 inches tall (1.93 meters), and his appearance was very noticeable.
Elisabeth Schwarzkopf
Dame Olga Maria Elisabeth Friederike Schwarzkopf, DBE (German: [eˌliːzabɛt ˈʃvaʁt͡skɔp͡f]; born December 9, 1915; died August 3, 2006) was a German-born singer who later lived in Austria and Britain. She was a lyric soprano, a type of singer known for her high, clear voice. She was one of the best singers of lieder, which are art songs from Germany.