# Herbert Alsen

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{{Short description|German opera singer (1906–1978)}}
{{moresources|date=May 2026}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}}
'''Herbert Alsen''' (sometimes '''Ahlsen'''; 12 October 1906 – 25 October 1978)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/Name/Herbert-Alsen/Performer/26258-2|title=Herbert Alsen - ArkivMusic|website=Arkivmusic.com}}{{deadlink|date=May 2026}}</ref> was a [German](/source/Germans) operatic [bass](/source/Bass_(voice_type)) of formidable volume and stature.<ref>Kurt Moses, ''American Record Guide'', Sept./Oct., 2004 quoted on Norbeck, Peters & Ford</ref>

==Biography==
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Alsen debuted as Rocco in ''[Fidelio](/source/Fidelio)'' in Westfalen. In 1936, he performed as the Commendatore in [Mozart](/source/Mozart)'s ''[Don Giovanni](/source/Don_Giovanni)'' under [Bruno Walter](/source/Bruno_Walter), and as Pogner the goldsmith in [Wagner](/source/Wagner)'s ''[Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg](/source/Die_Meistersinger_von_N%C3%BCrnberg)'' under [Arturo Toscanini](/source/Arturo_Toscanini). Basing his career in [Vienna](/source/Vienna), he went on to play all the great Wagner bass roles, including [Gurnemanz](/source/Parsifal_(opera)), [Hunding](/source/Die_Walk%C3%BCre), [Fafner](/source/Siegfried_(opera)), [King Marke](/source/Tristan_and_Isolde) and [Hagen](/source/G%C3%B6tterd%C3%A4mmerung), and more than forty roles by other composers. He sang at the [Metropolitan Opera](/source/Metropolitan_Opera) in the 1938–9 season. He retired in 1958. Recordings are available of his Hunding, Pogner, and Fafner; also Rocco, [Banco](/source/Macbeth_(Verdi)), Commendatore (opposite [Ezio Pinza](/source/Ezio_Pinza)), [Sarastro](/source/The_Magic_Flute), and [Osmin](/source/Die_Entf%C3%BChrung_aus_dem_Serail) (opposite Dame [Elisabeth Schwarzkopf](/source/Elisabeth_Schwarzkopf)). An anthology CD is also available. There are no published recordings of his Hagen.

==Notes and references==
{{Reflist}}

==Sources==
*[http://www.answers.com/topic/herbert-alsen "Herbert Alsen"]. Classical Artist Biographies. All Media Guide, 2009. (Answers.com 10 December 2009).
*Norbeck, Peters & Ford, [https://web.archive.org/web/20110714194652/http://www.norpete.com/v0523.html Herbert Alsen (Preiser 90579)]

==External links==
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQ9oS4WMCAA Formidable volume and stature]

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Alsen, Herbert}}
Category:1906 births
Category:1978 deaths
Category:German operatic basses
Category:Österreichischer Kammersänger
Category:20th-century German male opera singers
Category:People from Hildesheim
Category:Humboldt University of Berlin alumni

{{Germany-opera-singer-stub}}

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Herbert Alsen](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbert_Alsen) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbert_Alsen?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.