Hesch, Wilhelm (real name, Vilém Heš)

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Hesch, Wilhelm (real name, Vilém Heš)

Hesch, Wilhelm (real name, Vilém Heš), Bohemian bass; b. Tŷnec nad Labem, July 3, 1860; d. Vienna, Jan. 3, 1908. He studied with Jan Ludvik Lukes and Frantisek Pivoda. On Dec. 5, 1880, he made his operatic debut as Kecal in The Bartered Bride in Brunn. He then sang with the Pistëk Theater Co. before becoming a principal member of the Prague National Theater in 1882. After singing at the Hamburg Opera (1893–96), he was a leading member of the Vienna Court Opera (from 1896). He was especially notable in buffo roles, particularly in Smetana’s operas and as Papageno, Leporello, Dr. Bartolo, and Beckmesser.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire

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