Fischer, (Johann Ignaz) Ludwig

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Fischer, (Johann Ignaz) Ludwig

Fischer, (Johann Ignaz) Ludwig, renowned

German bass; b. Mainz, Aug. 18, 1745; d. Berlin, July 10, 1825. He studied voice with Anton Raaff in Mannheim, then obtained the post of virtuoso da camera at the Mannheim court (1772); also taught voice at the Mannheim Seminario Musico from 1775, continuing in the court’s service when it moved to Munich in 1778. He then proceeded to Vienna (1780), where he first gained recognition as a leading opera singer. He became a friend of Mozart, who wrote the role of Osmin in his Die Entfiihrung aus dem Serail (July 16,1782) for him. In 1783 he went to Paris, where he was notably successful at the Concert Spirituel; subsequently toured Italy, and then sang in Vienna, Prague, and Dresden (1785). After serving the Prince of Thurn und Taxis in Regensburg (1785–89), he received an appointment for life in Berlin. He continued to make guest appearances in other cities, including London (1794, 1798), giving his last public performance in Berlin in 1812; he was pensioned in 1815. The MS of his autobiography, which covers his life to 1790, is in the Berlin Staatsbibliothek.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire