Continuing our list of distinct and beautiful singers, I propose the late Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau. Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau died this year in May at the age of 87.

To many, Fischer-Dieskau was the consummate artist. He brought the craft of lieder singing to a new standard of brilliance but also excelled in the world of opera. It is a rare singer who can do both.

I can’t think of any other singers who were able to sing Wagner and Schumann with equal brilliance.

Fischer-Dieskau was a lyric baritone. There are some who think he was the most intelligent tenor to ever sing—meaning he could have been a tenor but had the sense not to force his voice. This could also have been a backhanded compliment.

Dieskau’s biography is as fascinating as his singing. He was born in Berlin in 1925 and we know what was on the horizon. He was forced into the Hitler youth and ended up on the Russian front caring for horses. His mother’s apartment was bombed out and Dieskau was given permission to return to Berlin as a result.

Dieskau was then diverted to Italy where American forces captured him three days before the German surrender. As a P.O.W. he was taken from camp to camp to sing for the other German prisoners using the back of a truck as a stage. He was so successful in entertaining the troops that he was held until 1947 and was one of the last Germans to be repatriated.

He resumed his studies at the conservatory and had his operatic debut in 1948. He officially retired from singing in 1992 but continued to conduct orchestras and administer master classes.

Many of his master classes are in German but a voice student can watch them and still know exactly what Dieskau is teaching.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=587P3LMhkJg&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=lYoIYZ-7Y1w&NR=1