German Mezzo-Soprano Ruth Hesse has Died, Aged 88

Hesse performed with major opera companies including the Deutsche Oper Berlin and Vienna State Opera

Born in 1936 in Wüppertal, Germany, mezzo-soprano Ruth Hesse studied voice in Hamburg and Milan. Making her debut in 1958, she joined Deutsche Oper Berlin in 1962, where she sang for 26 years. 

Later on, she sang in the first staged performance of Milhaud’s L'Orestie d'Eschyle, and in 1965, she played Frau von Hufnagel in Der junge Lord, which was commissioned by Deutsche Oper Berlin.

Hesse’s expansive repertoire also included roles such as Carmen, Mistress Quickly, Fricka, Herodias, and Clytemnestra, which she sang in Florence and Washington, as well as in Berlin and Vienna. Her singing was recognized for its rich and vibrant intensity, and particularly strong lower register.

Between 1963 and 1965, she sang at the Bayreuth Festival. Around this time, she joined the Vienna State Opera, where she sang roles including Ortrud in Lohengrin, Brangane in Tristan and Isolde, and Eboli in Verdi’s Don Carlos, among others.  

In 1969, she made her Covent Garden debut in London as the Nurse in Strauss’ Die Frau ohne Schatten — a role she also sang at Salzburg in 1974, San Francisco in 1976, and Buenos Aires in 1979. 

Hesse’s guest performances included those at the Grand Théâtre de Bordeaux, Opéra National de Lyon, Opéra de Marseille, Théâtre du Capitole, Chorégies d'Orange and Grand Théâtre de Genève, Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie, De Nationale Opera, Gran Teatre del Liceu, Royal Swedish Opera, and Bolshoi Theatre. She also performed in Italian opera houses, including the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma, Teatro Regio di Torino, and La Fenice.

Our condolences to Ms. Hesse’s family, friends, and colleagues.