Opera Scotland

Gottlob Frick Suggest updates

Born Ölbronn, 28 July 1906.

Died Muhlacker, 18 August 1994.

German bass.

Gottlob Frick was one of the leading German basses of his generation, with a renowned 'black' tone.  He was an extremely versatile performer, equally able to project the evil of Hagen, the comedy of Osmin, the wisdom of Sarastro or Gurnemanz.

He trained at the Stuttgart Conservatory under Neudörfer-Opitz.  He was a member of the chorus at the Stuttgart company from 1927-31.  In 1934 his solo debut was as Daland at Coburg, and he worked under contract at smaller German houses, progressing to Königsberg, then Freiburg.  He was engaged at the Dresden State Opera 1940-50, then the Berlin State Opera (i.e, East Berlin) from 1950-53.  From 1952 on, he sang in the West, including Hamburg, Munich and Vienna.

His appearances at Bayreuth from 1957-64 included Fasolt, Hunding, Hagen and Pogner.

In Britain Frick sang at Covent Garden from 1951 (Hunding, Hagen). Later roles at the Royal Opera House (1957-67) included Gurnemanz, Daland and Rocco.

In 1971, having officially retired the previous year, Frick famously flew to London to rescue a performance of Parsifal conducted by Reginald Goodall.  He appeared at the Edinburgh Festival in 1952 with the Hamburg company, as Sarastro and Pogner.

His recordings include Osmin (Die Entführung aus dem Serail conducted by Beecham) and Gurnemanz Parsifal (conducted by Solti).