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The notable German bass, Hans Sotin, was a student of F.W. Hetzel and then of Dieter Jacob at the Dortmund Hochschule für Musik.
In 1962 Hans Sotin made his operatic debut as the Police Commissioner in Der Rosenkavalier in Essen. After joining the Hamburg State Opera in 1964, he quickly became one of its principal members singing not only traditional roles by creating new roles in works by Blacher, Einem, Penderecki et al. His success led to his being made a Hamburg Kammersänger. In 1970 he made his appearance at the Glyndebourne Festival as Sarastro. He made his debut at the Chicago Lyric Opera as Grand Inquisitor in Don Carlos in 1971. That same year he sang for the first time at the Bayreuth Festival as the Landgrave where he subsequently returned with success in later years. In October 1972 he made his Metropolitan Opera debut in New York as Sarastro. From 1973 he sang at the Vienna State Opera. He made his debut at London’s Covent Garden as Hunding in 1974. In 1976 he sang for the first time at Milan’s La Scala as Baron Ochs.
Hans Sotin also appeared as a soloist with the leading European orchestras. In 1986 he returned to Covent Garden as Baron Ochs. In 1988 he sang in Otello at the Metropolitan Opera. In 1992 he appeared at the Landgrave in Berlin.
Hans Sotin's portrayals of Tannhäuser, Lohengrin, and Gurnemanz at the 1993 Bayreuth Festival elicited critical accolades In addition to his varied operatic repertoire, Sotin has won distinction for his concert repertoire, most particularly of the music of J.S. Bach, Haydn, L.v. Beethoven, and Gustav Mahler. |
