Born 1901, Dusseldorf, Germany
Died 1975, Salzburg, Austria
Max Lorenz was one of the great heldentenors of the 20th century, whose career was established in Germany during the 1930s and 1940s. He was also a known homosexual and was married to a Jewish woman, either of which would have put him on the train to a death camp if he hadn’t been Hitler’s favorite Siegfried.
Lorenz’s voice was intense, stentorian, and open-throated, with a brilliant top, rich middle, and strong lower register. His performances were noted for their expressive power and heroic characterization, making the works of Richard Wagner a perfect fit for this singer.
When Lorenz had to appear in court, after the discovery of an affair with a younger man, the Nazi chief propagandist Joseph Goebbels told Winifred Wagner (then in charge of the theater at Bayreuth) that the singer would not be suitable for the Festival. She replied that she might as well shut down operations, as the Bayreuth Festival couldn’t be held without Lorenz! In a letter of March 21, 1943, Hermann Göring stated that Max Lorenz was under his personal protection, and no action was to be taken against him, his Jewish wife or mother-in-law.
This preferred treatment, along with the fact that Lorenz chose to stay in Germany unlike many artists who fled the regime, aroused suspicion about his political sympathies.
Much in demand, Lorenz also sang outside Germany and Austria in such theaters as the Metropolitan Opera (1931 – 34), Covent Garden (1934 and 1937), and Teatro Colón (1938 and 1947). In addition to his Wagnerian roles, he sang Strauss’ Bacchus in Ariadne auf Naxos and Herodes in Salome, as well as Verdi’s Otello.
Lorenz retired in 1962 and taught some of the finest heldentenors of that period, including James King, Jess Thomas, and Jean Cox.
Let’s listen to Lorenz’s thrilling singing of “Siegmund heiss ich” from Wagner’s Die Walküre.
Now THAT’S the way to bring down a curtain!