Gerhard Stehmann

Gerhard Stehmann was a German bass-baritone who studied with Lilli Lehmann in Berlin and Karl Reß in Leipzig, making his debut in 1889 at Altenburg as Admiral Lefort in Zar und Zimmermann. He spent the 1890s in North America, singing with the Damrosch Opera Company in St Louis and at the Metropolitan Opera, and touring with a company assembled by Nellie Melba, before joining the Vienna Court Opera in 1899, where he remained until his death. There he created the Wig Maker in the premiere of the revised Ariadne auf Naxos in 1916, sang Wotan, Kothner, Beckmesser and Kurwenal, and appeared at the Salzburg Mozart festivals of 1906, 1910 and 1922. His last performance, on 6 March 1926, was as Fouquier-Tinville in Andrea Chénier.