Theo Altmeyer

Theo Altmeyer was a German classical tenor who was born in Eschweiler, Prussia, German Republic, in 1931. He achieved early professional recognition as an oratorio soloist while studying at the Hochschule für Musik Köln and is famous for his expressive interpretations of the works of Johann Sebastian Bach, specifically as the Evangelist in the composer's Passions. In 1955, Altmeyer won second prize at the Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR) singing competition and joined the Berlin State Opera in 1956. Between 1960 and 1974, he served as the principal lyric tenor at the Staatsoper Hannover, where he performed roles such as Tamino in Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte and the title character in Benjamin Britten’s Albert Herring. His discography includes recordings of Bach’s Christmas Oratorio and St Matthew Passion. From 1974, Altmeyer was a professor at the Musikhochschule Hannover. He gave his last public performance in 1996 and died in 2007.