Rudolf Schock
Encyclopedia
Rudolf Johann Schock was a German tenor
.
He sang a wide repertory from operetta
to Lohengrin
, recording among others opera
and lied
er, doing television, radio and film work. Slim and handsome, he made many films.
His voice fell almost into the heldentenor fach
but was smaller and more "ingratiating" than many voices in that category. Colored distinctly with a rich baritonal quality, Schock is described by Grove as a "lyric tenor" with a warm flexible voice, and a "strong top voice" which suited him to "heroic roles". However the same source feels that his acting left something to be desired.
When he was 18 and still continuing his musical studies that took him to Cologne
, Hanover
and Berlin, Schock joined the opera chorus at Theater Duisburg
in the city of his birth. The Staatstheater Braunschweig
cast Schock in solo roles in 1937, but his career was interrupted by his being enlisted into the army in 1940. It resumed after the war in 1945 in Hanover. In 1946, he appeared with two of the Berlin-based opera companies and in 1947 he joined the Hamburg State Opera
where he was a member until 1956.
He was one of the first Germans to sing at Covent Garden
in 1949. Appearing as Rudolfo
, Alfredo
, Pinkerton
and Tamino
in his first season. He sang the title role at Idomeneo
at the Salzburg Festival
and took part in the premiere there of Rolf Liebermann
's, Penelope and the Vienna State Opera
's first staging of Lulu
. Schock made repeat visits to the Edinburgh International Festival
and sang Walther
at Bayreuth in 1959.
In 1953 he played and sang the role of Richard Tauber
in the film Du bist die Welt für mich (released in English-speaking countries as either You are the world for me or The Richard Tauber Story). He was often compared to the older tenor and was spoken of as his successor. He was also considered the most successful German film singer of his generation.
He sold over 3 million records and his German films made him almost a superstar of his day. Schock's most impressive performances include the roles of Paul in Die Tote Stadt
(Korngold
), and multiple Puccini principles.
Schock also interested himself in the development of younger singers by judging singing competitions. After discovering Karl Ridderbusch
at one of these, Schock part-funded the bass's musical training.
Rudolf Schock continued making concert appearances into his sixties. Aged 71, he died suddenly of a heart attack in Gürzenich a district of the town of Düren
where he had made his home.
Tenor
The tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2...
.
He sang a wide repertory from operetta
Operetta
Operetta is a genre of light opera, light in terms both of music and subject matter. It is also closely related, in English-language works, to forms of musical theatre.-Origins:...
to Lohengrin
Lohengrin (opera)
Lohengrin is a romantic opera in three acts composed and written by Richard Wagner, first performed in 1850. The story of the eponymous character is taken from medieval German romance, notably the Parzival of Wolfram von Eschenbach and its sequel, Lohengrin, written by a different author, itself...
, recording among others opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
and lied
Lied
is a German word literally meaning "song", usually used to describe romantic songs setting German poems of reasonably high literary aspirations, especially during the nineteenth century, beginning with Carl Loewe, Heinrich Marschner, and Franz Schubert and culminating with Hugo Wolf...
er, doing television, radio and film work. Slim and handsome, he made many films.
His voice fell almost into the heldentenor fach
Fach
The German Fach system is a method of classifying singers, primarily opera singers, according to the range, weight, and color of their voices...
but was smaller and more "ingratiating" than many voices in that category. Colored distinctly with a rich baritonal quality, Schock is described by Grove as a "lyric tenor" with a warm flexible voice, and a "strong top voice" which suited him to "heroic roles". However the same source feels that his acting left something to be desired.
When he was 18 and still continuing his musical studies that took him to Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
, Hanover
Hanover
Hanover or Hannover, on the river Leine, is the capital of the federal state of Lower Saxony , Germany and was once by personal union the family seat of the Hanoverian Kings of Great Britain, under their title as the dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg...
and Berlin, Schock joined the opera chorus at Theater Duisburg
Theater Duisburg
Theater Duisburg ' is located in Duisburg, Germany and is one of two opera houses where performances are given by the Deutsche Oper am Rhein. The other is the Opernhaus Düsseldorf in Düsseldorf....
in the city of his birth. The Staatstheater Braunschweig
Staatstheater Braunschweig
Staatstheater Braunschweig is a theatre and opera house in Braunschweig, Germany. Joachim Klement has been the intendant there since 2010.The Staatstheater comprises music theatre, ballet and theatre....
cast Schock in solo roles in 1937, but his career was interrupted by his being enlisted into the army in 1940. It resumed after the war in 1945 in Hanover. In 1946, he appeared with two of the Berlin-based opera companies and in 1947 he joined the Hamburg State Opera
Hamburg State Opera
The Hamburg State Opera is one of the leading opera companies in Germany.Opera in Hamburg dates back to 2 January 1678 when the "Opern-Theatrum" was inaugurated with a performance of a biblical Singspiel by Johann Theile...
where he was a member until 1956.
He was one of the first Germans to sing at Covent Garden
Covent Garden
Covent Garden is a district in London on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St. Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit and vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist site, and the Royal Opera House, which is also known as...
in 1949. Appearing as Rudolfo
La bohème
La bohème is an opera in four acts,Puccini called the divisions quadro, a tableau or "image", rather than atto . by Giacomo Puccini to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa, based on Scènes de la vie de bohème by Henri Murger...
, Alfredo
La traviata
La traviata is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi set to an Italian libretto by Francesco Maria Piave. It is based on La dame aux Camélias , a play adapted from the novel by Alexandre Dumas, fils. The title La traviata means literally The Fallen Woman, or perhaps more figuratively, The Woman...
, Pinkerton
Madama Butterfly
Madama Butterfly is an opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini, with an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. Puccini based his opera in part on the short story "Madame Butterfly" by John Luther Long, which was dramatized by David Belasco...
and Tamino
The Magic Flute
The Magic Flute is an opera in two acts composed in 1791 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to a German libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder. The work is in the form of a Singspiel, a popular form that included both singing and spoken dialogue....
in his first season. He sang the title role at Idomeneo
Idomeneo
Idomeneo, re di Creta ossia Ilia e Idamante is an Italian language opera by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The libretto was adapted by Giambattista Varesco from a French text by Antoine Danchet, which had been set to music by André Campra as Idoménée in 1712...
at the Salzburg Festival
Salzburg Festival
The Salzburg Festival is a prominent festival of music and drama established in 1920. It is held each summer within the Austrian town of Salzburg, the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart...
and took part in the premiere there of Rolf Liebermann
Rolf Liebermann
Rolf Liebermann , was a Swiss composer and music administrator born in Zurich, and associated with several different musical genres. His output included chansons, classical, and light music. His classical music often combines myriad styles and techniques, including those drawn from baroque,...
's, Penelope and the Vienna State Opera
Vienna State Opera
The Vienna State Opera is an opera house – and opera company – with a history dating back to the mid-19th century. It is located in the centre of Vienna, Austria. It was originally called the Vienna Court Opera . In 1920, with the replacement of the Habsburg Monarchy by the First Austrian...
's first staging of Lulu
Lulu (opera)
Lulu is an opera by the composer Alban Berg. The libretto was adapted by Berg himself from Frank Wedekind's plays Erdgeist and Die Büchse der Pandora .-Composition history:...
. Schock made repeat visits to the Edinburgh International Festival
Edinburgh International Festival
The Edinburgh International Festival is a festival of performing arts that takes place in the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, over three weeks from around the middle of August. By invitation from the Festival Director, the International Festival brings top class performers of music , theatre, opera...
and sang Walther
Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg
Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg is an opera in three acts, written and composed by Richard Wagner. It is among the longest operas still commonly performed today, usually taking around four and a half hours. It was first performed at the Königliches Hof- und National-Theater in Munich, on June 21,...
at Bayreuth in 1959.
In 1953 he played and sang the role of Richard Tauber
Richard Tauber
Richard Tauber was an Austrian tenor acclaimed as one of the greatest singers of the 20th century. Some critics commented that "his heart felt every word he sang".-Early life:...
in the film Du bist die Welt für mich (released in English-speaking countries as either You are the world for me or The Richard Tauber Story). He was often compared to the older tenor and was spoken of as his successor. He was also considered the most successful German film singer of his generation.
He sold over 3 million records and his German films made him almost a superstar of his day. Schock's most impressive performances include the roles of Paul in Die Tote Stadt
Die tote Stadt
Die tote Stadt is an opera in three acts by Erich Wolfgang Korngold. The libretto is by the composer and Paul Schott , and is based on Bruges-la-Morte, a short novel by Georges Rodenbach.-Performance history:When Die tote Stadt had its premiere on December 4, 1920, Korngold was just 23...
(Korngold
Korngold
Korngold is surname of:* Julius Korngold , Jewish Austro-Hungarian music critic* Erich Wolfgang Korngold , Jewish Austro-Hungarian film- and romantic music composer* Piano Concerto for the Left Hand...
), and multiple Puccini principles.
Schock also interested himself in the development of younger singers by judging singing competitions. After discovering Karl Ridderbusch
Karl Ridderbusch
Karl Ridderbusch was a German operatic bass, associated in particular with the music of Wagner. He was recognised as a notable exponent of the role of Hans Sachs.-Background and early career:...
at one of these, Schock part-funded the bass's musical training.
Rudolf Schock continued making concert appearances into his sixties. Aged 71, he died suddenly of a heart attack in Gürzenich a district of the town of Düren
Düren
Düren is a town in North Rhine-Westphalia, capital of Düren district. It is located between Aachen and Cologne on the river Rur.-Roman era:Celts inhabited Düren's area before the Romans. They called their small settlement Durum . After the Celts other Germanic tribes settled this area...
where he had made his home.