{{short description|German operatic tenor (1911–2008)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}} {{infobox person | name = Erich Witte | image = | image_upright = | birth_date = {{birth date|1911|03|19|df=y}} | birth_place = Graudenz, West Prussia | death_date = {{death date and age|2008|06|30|1911|03|19|df=yes}} | death_place = Berlin, Germany | occupation = {{plainlist| * Operatic tenor * Opera director }} | organisation = Berlin State Opera | title = Kammersänger }} '''Erich Witte''' (19 March 1911 – 30 June 2008<ref name="Schoen 2012">{{cite web |editor-last=Focht |editor-first=Josef | title=Witte, Erich (1911–2008), Tenor – BMLO | website=Bayerisches Musiker-Lexikon Online | date=8 April 2012 | url=https://bmlo.de/w0839 | language=de | access-date=17 August 2021}}</ref>) was a German stage actor, operatic tenor and opera director. He was based for almost five decades at the Berlin State Opera, and performed leading roles at major opera houses in Europe and at the Metropolitan opera. He participated in world premieres, including Louise Talma's ''Die Alkestiade'' and Alan Bush's ''Joe Hill''.
== Life == Born in Graudenz, West Prussia, Witte grew up in Bremen from 1920 and first became an actor and répétiteur. At the Bremen conservatory, he then studied singing with the bass-baritone Philipp Kraus. In 1930, at the age of 19, he made his stage debut at the Theater Bremen as Nando in d'Albert's ''Tiefland''.<ref name="Vierhaus" /> In 1931 he was engaged as an actor at the Stadttheater Bremerhaven, but soon took on singing roles such as Châteauneuf in ''Zar und Zimmermann'' and Jaquino in ''Fidelio''. From 1932 to 1937 he was again in the ensemble of the Bremen theatre.<ref name="Vierhaus" /><ref name="Naxos">[https://www.naxos.com/person/Erich_Witte/12451.htm Erich Witte] on Naxos</ref>
In 1937, he joined the Theater Wiesbaden,<ref name="Vierhaus" /> where he distinguished himself as a tenor buffo. In 1936 and 1937, he made guest appearances at the Monte Carlo Opera as Mime in Wagner's ''Der Ring des Nibelungen'', in 1938 and 1940 at the Vienna State Opera<ref name="Spielplanarchiv der Wiener Staatsoper">{{cite web | title=Vorstellungen mit Erich Witte | website=Spielplanarchiv der Wiener Staatsoper | url=https://archiv.wiener-staatsoper.at/search/person/3153?person_ids=3153 | language=de | access-date=16 August 2021}}</ref> and also at the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires (1938).<ref name="Vierhaus" /> In the 1938/39 season, Witte was engaged at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City<ref name="The New York Times 1938">{{cite news| title=The Opera; Erich Witte Sings Mime |newspaper=The New York Times | date=11 December 1938 | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1938/12/11/archives/the-opera-erich-witte-sings-mime.html | access-date=16 August 2021}} {{subscription required}}</ref> for 47 performances, including as Froh in the ''Ring'' cycle and as the Fool in Mussorgsky's ''Boris Godunov''.<ref>[http://69.18.170.204/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/gisrch2k.r?Term=Witte,%20Erich%20%5BTenor%5D&limit=3000&vsrchtype=no&xBranch=ALL&xmtype=&Start=&End=&theterm=Wi%74%74%65,%20%45%72ich%20%5B%54%65no%72%5D&srt=&x=0&xHome=http://69.18.170.204/archives/bibpro.htm&xHomePath=http://69.18.170.204/archiv Witte, Erich (Tenor)] archives of the Metropolitan Opera</ref> From 1940 to 1942, he sang at the opera house in Breslau, where he took part in the world premiere of Hans Stieber's ''Der Dombaumeister'' on 7 February 1942.<ref name="Vierhaus" /> From 1941, he belonged to the ensemble of the Berlin State Opera,<ref name="Roesler" /> where he appeared in the 1944 first production of Sutermeister's ''Romeo und Julia'', as Romeo alongside Maria Cebotari.<ref>[https://www.deutsche-digitale-bibliothek.de/item/2OYHONDJIBQM7FKGW5OB3WYPUJABYWUO?firstHit=MBOB6FN7MFFGBCWC4UXI3EBO7D7345NB&viewType=list&lastHit=lasthit&hitNumber=313&offset=0&query=Erich+Witte&rows=20 Szenenbilder aus der Oper ''Romeo und Julia'' von Heinrich Sutermeister an der Deutschen Staatsoper] (in German) Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek</ref> He also performed as Pinkerton in Puccini's ''Madama Butterfly'' alongside Erna Berger, as Richard in Verdi's ''Un ballo in maschera'', and as Laca in Janáček's ''Jenůfa''. In 1943 and 1944, he appeared at the Bayreuth Festival as David in ''Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg'', and as Loge in ''Das Rheingold'' in 1952 and 1953.<ref name="Naxos" /><ref name="Bayreuther Festspiele 2020" />
[[File:Fotothek df pk 0000016 a 025 Szenenbilder.jpg|thumb|Witte as Jaquino in the 1945 ''Fidelio'', with Irma Beilke as Marzelline]] In the first opera performance in Berlin after World War II, on 4 September 1945, Witte was Jaquino in ''Fidelio''.<ref name="Roesler">Roesler, Curt A.: [https://deutscheoperberlin.de/de_DE/benjamin-britten-in-berlin-1947-bis-2013 Benjamin Britten in Berlin 1947 bis 2013] (in German) Deutsche Oper Berlin 2013</ref> In 1950, he performed the title role of Wagner's ''Parsifal'' at the Berlin State Opera.<ref>Gruhl, Boris: [https://www.musik-in-dresden.de/2016/07/23/parsifal-bayreuth-haenchen/ Von Einspringern und Heilsbringern] (in German) musik-in-dresden.de 23 July 2017</ref> He appeared in the title role of Britten's ''Peter Grimes'' at the Städtische Oper Berlin in 1947, when the opera was first performed in Berlin,<ref name="Roesler" /><ref name="Rosenthal">Rosenthal, Harold: [https://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/grovemusic/browse;jsessionid=8B5DD27F7F0D5ED40D9ACCD40A444C6F?page=514&pageSize=10&sort=titlesort&subSite=grovemusic&t=music_People%3A17 Witte, Erich] Grove Online 1992</ref> alongside Elisabeth Grümmer as Ellen Orford.<ref name="Roesler" /> On 4 September 1955, he performed in the opening performance of the restored Staatsoper Unter den Linden as Stolzing in Wagner's ''Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg''. He directed this work at the Royal Opera House in London in 1957, and stepped in on short notice to also sing Stolzing, in English.<ref name="Naxos" /><ref name="Rosenthal" /><!-- He had previously been enthusiastically acclaimed there as Loge, also in his direction of the ''Ring of the Nibelung''.-->
His roles at the Staatsoper also included Verdi's ''Otello'', Florestan in ''Fidelio'', Bacchus in ''Ariadne auf Naxos'' by Richard Strauss, Cavaradossi in Puccini's ''Tosca'', Hoffmann, Don José in Bizet's ''Carmen'' and Loge.<ref name="Naxos" /><ref name="Bayreuther Festspiele 2020" />
From 1961 to 1964 he was opera director at the Oper Frankfurt<ref name="Vierhaus" /> where he appeared in the world premiere of Louise Talma's ''Die Alkestiade''.<ref name="Bayreuther Festspiele 2020">{{cite web | title=Erich Witte, Aufführungsdatenbank | website=Bayreuther Festspiele | date=16 January 2020 | url=https://www.bayreuther-festspiele.de/fsdb/mitwirkende/erich-witte/ | language=de | access-date=17 August 2021}}</ref> He then returned to his Berlin home, where his repertoire shifted to {{Ill|character tenor|de|Charaktertenor}} roles including Shostakovich's ''Die Nase'', Harry McRae in Alan Bush's ''Joe Hill'' in the opera's world premiere in 1970<ref name="Naxos" /> and Joachim Werzlau ''Meister Röckle'' (1976).<ref>{{cite book | last1=Kutsch | first1=K.-J.|author1-link=Karl-Josef Kutsch| last2=Riemens | first2=L.|author2-link=Leo Riemens| last3=Rost | first3=Hansjörg |title=Großes Sängerlexikon|edition=4th| publisher=De Gruyter|volume=4 | year=2012 | isbn=978-3-598-44088-5 | language=de|page=[https://books.google.com/books?id=dsfq_5dFeL0C&pg=PA5276 5276]}}</ref> He made his last stage appearances at the age of eighty.
In 1951, he was active as a director for the first time with Richard Mohaupt's ''Bremer Stadtmusikanten'' at the Admiralspalast. At the new house Unter den Linden, he directed Wagner's ''Tristan und Isolde'', ''Lohengrin'' and the ''Ring'' cycle, with Franz Konwitschny as conductor, leaning on the Wieland Wagner's Bayreuth style. He also directed ''Daphne'' by Richard Strauss, conducted by Otmar Suitner.<ref>Werbeck, Walter (ed.): [https://books.google.com/books?id=4MTMDAAAQBAJ&pg=PA273 ''Richard Strauss-Handbuch''] (in German) Springer-Verlag 2016, {{ISBN|978-3-47-600510-6}}, p. 273</ref><!--and ''Arabella''-->
From 1970, Witte was also a lecturer in vocal studies at the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler Berlin.<ref name="Vierhaus" /> On the occasion of his retirement in 1991, the Staatsoper awarded him, on top of the earlier title Kammersänger,<ref name="DIE WELT 2011">{{cite web | title=Fünf Prozent Rabatt vom Pfarrer oder Die Treue unter den Linden | website=Die Welt | date=15 November 2011 | url=https://www.welt.de/print-welt/article655741/Fuenf-Prozent-Rabatt-vom-Pfarrer-oder-Die-Treue-unter-den-Linden.html | language=de | access-date=17 August 2021}}</ref> an honorary membership.<ref name="Verlag Theater der Zeit">{{cite web | title=Erich Witte – Autorenverzeichnis | website=Verlag Theater der Zeit | url=https://www.theaterderzeit.de/person/erich_witte/ | language=de | access-date=17 August 2021}}</ref>
Witte died in Berlin aged 97,<ref name="Berlin">{{cite web |last=Geitel |first=Klaus | title=Operntenor Erich Witte ist gestorben | website=Berliner Morgenpost | url=https://www.morgenpost.de/printarchiv/kultur/article102167440/Operntenor-Erich-Witte-ist-gestorben.html | access-date=16 August 2021}} {{subscription required}}</ref> only a few days after the death of his wife Josefa, a former member of the Berlin State Opera Ballet. <!-- == Theatre == === Actor and tenor === * 1937: Johann Strauss: ''Eine Nacht in Venedig'' – director: Hanns Springer (Deutsches Theater Wiesbaden) * 1946: Offenbach: ''Hoffmanns Erzählungen'' (Hoffmann) – director: Ernst Legal (Deutsche Staatsoper im Admiralspalast Berlin) * 1946: Puccini: ''Madama Butterfly'' (Benjamin Franklin Pinkerton) – director: Wolf Völker (Deutsche Staatsoper im Admiralspalast Berlin) * 1949: Bizet: ''Carmen'' – director: Werner Kelch (Deutsche Staatsoper im Admiralspalast Berlin) * 1950: Wagner: ''Parsifal'' (Parsifal) – director: Wolf Völker (Deutsche Staatsoper im Admiralspalast Berlin) * 1951: Richard Strauss: ''Arabella'' – director: Ernst Legal (Deutsche Staatsoper im Admiralspalast Berlin) * 1952: Tchaikovsky: ''Eugene Onegin'' – director: Ernst Legal (Deutsche Staatsoper im Admiralspalast Berlin) * 1952: Verdi: ''Un ballo in maschera'' – director: Werner Kelch (Deutsche Staatsoper im Admiralspalast Berlin) * 1952: Wagner: ''Der fliegende Holländer'' – director: Carl-Heinrich Kreith (Staatsoper Dresden) * 1952: Suppè: ''Boccaccio'' – director: Adolf Rott (Deutsche Oper Berlin) * 1954: Wagner: ''Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg'' (Stolzing) – director: Wolf Völker (Deutsche Staatsoper im Admiralspalast Berlin) * 1954: Beethoven: ''Fidelio'' – director: Werner Kelch (Deutsche Staatsoper im Admiralspalast Berlin) * 1956: Richard Strauss: ''Die Frau ohne Schatten'' (Emperor) – director: Heinz Arnold (Staatsoper Unter den Linden) * 1956: Prokofiev: ''The Fiery Angel'' – director: Heinz Rückert (Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin) * 1958: Eugen Suchoň/Štefan Hoza: ''Krútňava'' (Murderer) – director: Erich-Alexander Winds (Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin) * 1958: Mussorgski: ''Chowanschtschina'' – director: Hinko Leskovsek (Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin) * 1959: Puccini: ''Tosca'' – director: Wolf Völker (Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin) * 1960: Bertolt Brecht/Paul Dessau: ''The Trial of Lucullus'' (Lukullus) – director: Ruth Berghaus/Erhard Fischer (Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin) * 1961: Mussorgski: ''Boris Godunow'' (Schuiski) – director: Heinz Rückert (Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin) * 1964: Kurt Weill: Aufstieg und Fall der Stadt Mahagonny (Jim) – director: Fritz Bennewitz (Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin) * 1966: Dessau: ''Puntila'' (Fredrick) – director: Berghaus (Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin) * 1967: Johann Strauss: ''Die Fledermaus'' – director: J. A. Weidlich (Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin) * 1970: Alan Bush: ''Joe Hill'' (Detektive) – director: Erhard Fischer (Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin)
=== Director === * 1951: Richard Mohaupt: ''Die Bremer Stadtmusikanten'' (Deutsche Staatsoper im Admiralspalast Berlin) * 1956: Pietro Mascagni: ''Cavalleria rusticana'' (Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin) * 1956: Richard Wagner: ''Tristan und Isolde'' (Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin) * 1956: Richard Wagner: ''Die Walküre'' (Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin) * 1956: Ruggero Leoncavallo: ''Der Bajazzo'' (Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin) * 1957: Richard Wagner: ''Das Rheingold'' (Auch Rolle: Loge) (Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin) * 1957: Richard Wagner: ''Siegfried'' (Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin) * 1957: Richard Wagner: ''Götterdämmerung'' (Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin) * 1958: Richard Wagner: ''Lohengrin'' (Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin) * 1960: Richard Wagner: ''Der Ring des Nibelungen'' (Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin) * 1968: Richard Strauss: ''Capriccio'' (Staatsschauspiel Dresden) * 1969: Richard Strauss: ''Daphne'' (Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin) * 1972: Richard Wagner: ''Lohengrin'' (Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin) * 1976: Richard Strauss: ''Arabella'' (Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin)-->
== Recordings== <small>Most of the cast details can be found on entries in the Deutsche Nationalbibliothek catalogue.</small> * ''Der Rosenkavalier'', recording of the Metropolitan Opera New York 1939, Naxos {{OCLC|1040409404}} * ''Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg'', recording from 1943/44, Preiser Records 1994 {{OCLC|164820677}} * ''Abu Hassan'', recording from 1944, Line Music 2003 {{OCLC|985568723}}<ref name="Naxos" /> * ''Hänsel und Gretel'', recording from 1944, Preiser Records 1996 {{OCLC|778701533}} * ''Das Rheingold'' (Wagner), recording from the 1952 Bayreuth Festival, Line Music 2003 {{OCLC|1183615919}} * ''Das Rheingold'' (Wagner), recording from the 1953 Bayreuth Festival, Line Music 2004<ref name="Naxos" /> {{OCLC|1183772332}}<ref>[https://www.orfeo-international.de/pages/cd_c809113r_e.html Richard Wagner / Der Ring des Nibelungen] orfeo-international.de</ref> * ''Puntila'', Deutsche Staatsoper 1968, Berlin Classics 1994 {{OCLC|875608287}} * ''Einstein'', Deutsche Staatsoper 1978, Edel 1996 {{OCLC|1183607399}}
== References == <references>
<ref name="Vierhaus">{{cite book | editor-last = Vierhaus | editor-first = Rudolf | editor-link = Rudolf Vierhaus | chapter-url = https://books.google.com/books?id=N5BTgOz3KpEC&pg=PA72 | chapter = Witte, Erich | title = Deutsche Biographische Enzyklopädie – Nachträge / Personenregister | trans-title = ... – Addenda / Register of persons | publisher = De Gruyter | date = 2011 | isbn = 978-3-11-097777-6 | page = 72 | language = de }}</ref>
</references>
== Further reading == * Karl-Josef Kutsch, Leo Riemens: ''Großes Sängerlexikon.'' 3rd edition. K. G. Saur Verlag, Munich 5, pp. 3747f.
== External links == * {{AllMusic|id=mn0001648913}} * {{discogs artist}}
{{portal bar|Biography|Opera|Germany}} {{authority control|state=collapsed}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Witte, Erich}} Category:German operatic tenors Category:Heldentenors Category:German opera directors Category:Academic staff of the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler Berlin Category:Recipients of the Patriotic Order of Merit in bronze Category:1911 births Category:2008 deaths Category:People from Grudziądz