Eike Wilm Schulte Has Passed Away

The extraordinary German baritone Eike Wilm Schulte has passed away at the age of 86.

Mr. Schulte studied with the great German baritone Josef Metternich; he made his operatic debut in 1966 as Sid in ALBERT HERRING at the Deutsche Oper am Rhein. For many years a mainstay at Wiesbaden, and later at the Bavarian State Opera, Schulte developed a repertoire of over 100 roles. He sang at the Bayreuth Festival, and he appeared in the world premieres of several operas.

Among Mr. Schulte’s many roles were Papageno, Guglielmo in COSI FAN TUTTE, Hamlet, William Tell, and the four Villains in TALES OF HOFFMANN.

He made his debut at The Metropolitan Opera in 1991 as the Speaker in ZAUBERFLOETE; in the ensuing years, he sang Kurwenal, Beckmesser, Faninal, the Herald in LOHENGRIN, and the Spirit Messenger in FRAU OHNE SCHATTEN here in New York City,for a total of 65 Met performances. I saw him in all six of his Met roles: a compelling voice and a powerful presence. 

Listen to Eike Wilm Schulte sing Dappertutto’s Diamond Aria here, and singing Alberich’s Curse from RHEINGOLD here.