Paul Schöffler

The distinguished German bass-baritone Paul Schöffler was born in 1897 in Germany, and studied in Dresden, Berlin, and Milan. In 1925 he made his operatic debut at the Dresden State Opera as the Herald in Lohengrin. He continued on its roster until 1938, then was a member of the Vienna State Opera until 1965. He also sang at London's Covent Garden (1934–39; 1949–53), the Bayreuth Festivals (1943–44; 1956), and the Salzburg Festivals (1938–41; 1947; 1949–65).

He made his Metropolitan Opera debut in New York in January 1950, as Jokanaan in Salome. He continued to sing there, with interruptions, until 1956 (during which time he was in residence at the Buckingham Hotel). He returned in 1963 to sing one of his finest roles, Hans Sachs, and remained on its roster until 1965, when he went to England.

His other notable roles included Figaro, Don Giovannl, the Dutchman, Kurwenal, Scarpia, and Hindemith's Cardillac and Mathis der Maler; he also created the role of Jupiter in the first stage performance of Strauss' Die Liebe der Danae (1952) and Einem's Danton (1947).

Source: Baker's Biographical Dictionary of 20th Century Classical Musicians (1997)

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