Soot, Fritz (actually, Friedrich Wilhelm)

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Soot, Fritz (actually, Friedrich Wilhelm)

Soot, Fritz (actually, Friedrich Wilhelm), distinguished German tenor; b. Wellesweiler-Neunkirchen, Saar, Aug. 20, 1878; d. Berlin, June 9, 1965. He first pursued a career as an actor in Karlsruhe (1901–07); then studied voice with Scheidemantel in Dresden. He made his operatic debut with the Dresden Court Opera as Tonio in La Fille du régiment in 1908, remaining on its roster until 1918; during his tenure there, he sang in the first performance of Der Rosenkavalier as the Italian Singer (Jan. 26, 1911). His subsequent engagements were in Stuttgart (1918–22), at the Berlin State Opera (1922–44; 1946–52), and at the Berlin Städtische Oper (1946–48). He sang in the premieres of Berg’s Wozzeck, as well as in works by Pfitzner and Schreker. He excelled in such Wagnerian roles as Tristan, Siegmund, and Siegfried.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire