C

onnoisseurs of the vocal arts will cherish these previously unreleased recordings from the great German heldentenor, Peter Anders. Anders was born in Essen in 1908 and studied at the Berlin Music Academy. In 1931 director Max Reinhardt found him in the chorus of a Berlin theatre and hired him for a production, where he at once made his mark. He sang in Darmstadt (1933-35), Cologne (1935-36), Hannover (1937-38), and then at the Munich State Opera (1938-40), where he took part in the creation of Richard Strauss's Friedenstag. Anders sang not only an impressive range of operatic roles but also appeared in several operetta parts. He performed regularly on German radio and in concert and was also active in oratorio and lieder recitals. While at the height of his career, Anders died in a car accident in Hamburg - just months prior to his MET debut. He was only 46 years old and his death represented a severe loss to the world of opera.

Anders possessed an outstanding voice that he employed with fine musicianship and an attractive timbre - all of which can be heard on this specially priced two-disc set of opera arias and lieder.