Renowned Wagnerian Tenor Peter Seiffert Passes Away at 71

Peter Seiffert, the distinguished German tenor revered for his powerful and pristine interpretations of Wagnerian roles, passed away on April 14 at his residence in Schleedorf, Austria, near Salzburg. He was 71 years old.

His agent announced his death without disclosing the cause, noting only that Seiffert had been contending with a serious illness.

Seiffert epitomized the 'heldentenor'—a heroic tenor voice type that is among the rarest and most prized in opera. Wagner's major tenor roles—such as Tannhäuser, Lohengrin, Tristan, and Parsifal—require immense vocal power and endurance to meet the demanding challenges of performances that can last several hours.

Wagner himself sought a tenor sound that sharply contrasted with the Italian operatic style of his time, which he criticized as "unmanly, soft, and completely lacking in energy," as he wrote in an essay about performing 'Tannhäuser.'

Critics recognized Seiffert as possessing the very qualities Wagner desired: a voice that conveyed strength and clarity. Throughout the nearly five-hour span of 'Tannhäuser,' his singing remained clear and resonant across his full vocal range, demonstrating exceptional vocal stamina.

Reflecting on the demands of such roles, Seiffert remarked in a 1996 interview with an online classical magazine, "You don’t become the knight of the High C just for fun and games."