Frick, Gottlob
Frick, Gottlob
Frick, Gottlob, German bass; b. Olbronn, Wiirttemberg, July 28, 1906; d. Miihlacker, near Pforzheim, Aug. 18, 1994. He studied at the Stuttgart Cons, and also took vocal lessons with Neudorfer-Opitz. After singing in the Stuttgart Opera chorus, he made his operatic debut as Daland in Der fliegende Hollander in Coburg (1934); then sang in Freiburg im Breisgau and Konigsberg, and subsequently was a leading member of the Dresden State Opera (1941–52). He appeared at the Stadtische Oper in West Berlin (from 1950), the Bavarian State Opera in Munich (from 1953), and the Vienna State Opera (from 1953); made his debut at London’s Covent Garden (1951), and later sang there regularly (1957–67). On Dec. 27, 1961, he made his Metropolitan Opera debut in N.Y. as Fafner in Das Rheingold; also sang at Bayreuth, Milan’s La Scala, and Salzburg. He gave his farewell performance in 1970, but continued to make a few stage appearances in later years. A fine Wagnerian, he excelled as Gurnemanz and Hagen; was also admired for his portrayal of Rocco in Fidelio.
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire