Walter Kirchhoff

Walter Kirchhoff, born Walther August Kirchhoff (17 March 1879, Berlin — 29 March 1951, Wiesbaden), was a German tenor who had an active international career in operas and concerts from 1906 through 1934. Prior to his career as an opera singer, he was a military officer in the cavalry division of the Imperial German Army. He later served Wilhelm, German Crown Prince as an adjutant during World War I while working as a resident artist at the Berlin State Opera where he had a lengthy performance career that spanned from 1906 through 1932. Kirchoff was particularly celebrated for his performances in the operas of Richard Wagner. He sang leading roles at several prominent opera houses and festivals globally including the Bayreuth Festival, the Royal Opera House in London, the Teatro Colón, and the Vienna State Opera. From 1926-1931 he was a leading tenor at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. He finished his career as a resident artist at the Deutsche Oper Berlin in 1933-1934. After retiring from the stage, he taught on the voice faculty of the Klindworth-Scharwenka Conservatory in Berlin, and was also active in that city as a theatre director and talent agent.

Early life and education
Walter Kirchhoff was born in Berlin on March 17, 1879. Before training as a vocalist he severed as a military officer in the cavalry division of the Imperial German Army. He later resumed a military career during World War I, serving as an adjutant to Wilhelm, German Crown Prince while continuing to sing on the Berlin stage.

Kirchhoff studied singing in Berlin with Lilli Lehmann and Eugen Robert Weiss; training under these teachers after being advised to do so by. He later studied singing further in Milan.

Performance career
Kirchoff made his stage debut in the title role of Charles Gounod's Faust at the Berlin State Opera (BSO) in 1906. He was a resident artist at that company for the next fourteen years; appearing without interruption through 1920. He later returned to the BSO in 1923-1924, 1928-1929, and 1932.

In 1910 Kirchhoff starred in the world premiere of Arthur Nevin's controversial opera Poia at the BSO. On the BSO stage he excelled in the operas of Richard Wagner with his repertoire including Siegmund in Die Walküre, Tristan in Tristan und Isolde, and the title roles in Lohengrin, Siegfried, and Tannhäuser. His other repertoire included Alfonso in Erich Wolfgang Korngold's Violanta, the King’s Son Engelbert Humperdinck's Königskinder, and Menelaus in Richard Strauss's Die ägyptische Helena. In 1911 he sang the title role in George Frideric Handel's oratorio Judas Maccabaeus with the Berlin Philharmonic under conductor Siegfried Ochs with a chorus of 600 voices. That same year he made his debut at the Bayreuth Festival as Walther von Stolzing in Richard Wagner's Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg; a role he repeated at Bayreuth in 1912. He sang again at Bayreuth in 1913 and 1914; notably singing the title role in Parsifal for his final appearance at that festival.

Kirchoff was a guest artist at the Dutch National Opera in 1912-1913; portraying the King’s Son in Königskinder and Tannhäuser. He portrayed Walther von Stolzing again for his debut at the Royal Opera House (ROH), Covent Garden in 1913. He later returned to the ROH in 1924 as Loge in Das Rheingold. In 1922 he portrayed the roles of Siegfried and Loge in the first presentation of the complete Ring Cycle at the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires. In 1923 he performed the role of Tristan in Tristan und Isolde at the Solís Theatre in Montevideo.

Kirchoff was a leading tenor at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City from 1926-1931. In 1929 he performed the role of Max in the United States premiere of Jonny spielt auf at the Met. He also sang in the United States premiere of Violanta at the Met in 1927, and performed in the Met's first staging of Boccaccio in 1931. He was simultaneously committed to the Vienna State Opera in 1927-1928. During his career he also starred in leading roles as a guest artist at La Monnaie and the Paris Opera. He ended his career at the Deutsche Oper Berlin where he was a resident artist in 1933-1934.

Marriage and later life
Kirchoff married the daughter of Hungarian soprano Etelka Gerster. He joined the voice faculty of the Klindworth-Scharwenka Conservatory in Berlin in 1934 where he taught for several year. He also worked as a talent agent and theatre director in Berlin.

Kirchoff died on March 26, 1951.