Robert Philipp

21 November 1852 Offenbach am Main – 12 August 1933 Berlin

Robert Philipp sings Die Walküre: Winterstürme wichen dem Wonnemond
In RA format

Robert Philipp sings Der Evangelimann: O Zitterbart, o Zitterbart!
Creator's record

Robert Philipp sings Mignon: Leb wohl, Mignon
In RA format
Robert Philipp was an actor in Berlin from 1870, for twelve years. In 1882, he started singing operetta, and toured Russia with Hasse's operetta company. Back to Berlin, he sang at various operetta theaters.

But the director of the Berlin Hofoper, Count Hochberg, wanted him to sing opera. He made him try José at the Hofoper in 1890; it was successful, and Hochberg engaged him at once. Philipp would stay for 40 years.

He sang lyrical and (particularly towards the end of his incredibly long career) comprimario roles: Faust, Fra Diavolo, Wilhelm Meister, Tamino, Don Ottavio, Tonio (La fille du régiment). He participated in a lot of world premieres, among them: Der Evangelimann by Kienzl (4 May 1895, Philipp sang the comprimario part of Hans), Der Roland von Berlin by Leoncavallo (15 December 1904) and Die Heirat wider Willen by Humperdinck (14 April 1905). He made guest appearances in Gotha, Weimar, Munich, Frankfurt, Schwerin, Dresden, Wiesbaden, St. Petersburg and Moscow, but it was in Berlin that he was really successful.

Reference 1: Kutsch & Riemens; reference 2 and picture source (a good website on Philipp, with many great pictures, and you can download a lot of recordings)

I wish to thank Anton Bieber for the recording and label scan (Evangelimann).
I wish to thank Richard J Venezia for the recording (Mignon).
Philipp as a baritone

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