Hermann Prey

Hermann Prey ([praɪ] 11 July 1929 – 22 July 1998) was a German lyric baritone and lied singer renditions who also sang comic opera roles, best remembered for his recitals, his first American recital having been given in 1956. He was a gifted interpreter of Schubert including his song-cycle Schwanengesang, as well as other lieder, together with the German pianist Sebastian Peschko. He also appeared frequently in concert, particularly in the Bach Passions and Brahms' A German Requiem.

Hermann Prey was born in Berlin and grew up in Germany. He was scheduled to be drafted when World War II ended. He studied voice at the Hochschule für Musik in Berlin and won the prize of the Frankfurt contest of the Hessischer Rundfunk in 1952.

He began to sing in song recitals and made his operatic debut the next year in Wiesbaden. He joined the Staatsoper, where he sang until 1960. During his last years in Hamburg, he also made frequent guest appearances elsewhere, including the Salzburg Festival.

He sang frequently at the Metropolitan Opera between 1960 and 1970 and made his Bayreuth debut in 1965. Although he often sang Verdi early in his career, he later concentrated more on Mozart and Richard Strauss. Prey was well known for playing Figaro (Mozart and Rossini), but he played other Mozart roles at least equally often, particularly Papageno and Guglielmo. He also played, and recorded, the Count in The Marriage of Figaro. He is regarded by many as the best Eisenstein in Die Fledermaus operetta.

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