Franz Grundheber

Franz Grundheber (27 September 1937 – 27 September 2025) was a German operatic baritone. He was based at the Hamburg State Opera where he appeared in over 150 roles from 1966, celebrating his 2000th performance there in 2012, as Amonasro in Verdi's Aida. His voice, described as brilliant with a seamless legato and compelling high notes, was flexible enough to sing Italian opera as well as Wagner roles such as Amfortas in Parsifal, and 20th century roles such as Moses in Schoenberg's Moses und Aron and world premieres. He performed at major international opera houses, especially the Vienna State Opera. Grundheber was a stage presence in acting and singing, often portraying broken characters in pain and despair such as Verdi's Rigoletto and Simon Boccanegra. He is especially remembered for various interpretations of the title role of Alban Berg's Wozzeck, including in a Vienna production conducted by Claudio Abbado in 1986 and a 1994 DVD from both the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris and the Staatsoper Berlin, conducted by Daniel Barenboim and staged by Patrice Chéreau.