Ivan Rebroff (born Hans Rolf Rippert; 31 July 193127 February 2008) was a German vocalist, allegedly of Russian ancestry, who rose to prominence for his distinct and extensive vocal range of four

octave In music, an octave (: eighth) or perfect octave (sometimes called the diapason) is an interval between two notes, one having twice the frequency of vibration of the other. The octave relationship is a natural phenomenon that has been referr ...

s, ranging "from a low F to a high F, one and a quarter octaves above C". An imposing figure on stage, usually bearded and dressed in

Cossack The Cossacks are a predominantly East Slavic Eastern Christian people originating in the Pontic–Caspian steppe of eastern Ukraine and southern Russia. Cossacks played an important role in defending the southern borders of Ukraine and Rus ...

clothing, his presence was enhanced by his height, being over 2 metres tall.

Life and career

Rebroff was born on 31 July 1931 in

Berlin Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...

(prematurely, he asserted, at seven months, on a train platform) as Hans Rolf Rippert to German parents. His parents were Paul Rippert, an engineer born in 1897 in Liebenwerda, and Luise Fenske, born in

Bydgoszcz Bydgoszcz is a city in northern Poland and the largest city in the historical region of Kuyavia. Straddling the confluence of the Vistula River and its bank (geography), left-bank tributary, the Brda (river), Brda, the strategic location of Byd ...

(then part of Prussian

Bromberg Bydgoszcz is a city in northern Poland and the largest city in the historical region of Kuyavia. Straddling the confluence of the Vistula River and its left-bank tributary, the Brda, the strategic location of Bydgoszcz has made it an inland ...

). He claimed Russian descent, and while often disputed, this has never been totally refuted. In a 1989 interview with ''

Izvestia ''Izvestia'' ( rus, Известия, r=Izvestiya, p=ɪzˈvʲesʲtʲɪjə, "The News") is a daily broadsheet newspaper in Russia. Founded in February 1917, ''Izvestia'', which covered foreign relations, was the organ of the Supreme Soviet of th ...

'', he said "according to documents I am Ivan Pavlovich Rebroff" (). He studied singing at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater Hamburg. Although his knowledge and pronunciation of Russian was imperfect, he became famous for singing Russian

folk song Folk music is a music genre that includes #Traditional folk music, traditional folk music and the Contemporary folk music, contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be ca ...

s, but also performed opera, light classics and folk songs from many other countries. He was known on stage for his gusto. He performed over 6,000 concerts in his career, including a two-year seven-day-a-week stint at the

Théâtre Marigny The Théâtre Marigny () is a theatre in Paris, situated near the junction of the Champs-Élysées and the Avenue Marigny in the 8th arrondissement of Paris, 8th arrondissement. It was originally built to designs of the architect Charles Garnie ...

in Paris, singing and acting, among other greats, the role of Tevye in ''

Fiddler on the Roof ''Fiddler on the Roof'' is a musical theatre, musical with music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and musical theatre#Book musicals, book by Joseph Stein, set in the Pale of Settlement of Russian Empire, Imperial Russia in or around 19 ...

''. When he was well into his seventies, Rebroff still performed 13 concerts in 21 days on an Australian tour. Rebroff described himself as international, the "connection between East and West". He was named an honorary citizen of the Greek

Sporades The (Northern) Sporades are an archipelago along the east coast of Greece, northeast of the island of Euboea,"Skyros - Britannica Concise" (description), Britannica Concise, 2006, webpageEB-Skyrosnotes "including Skiathos, Skopelos, Skyros, and Al ...

island of Skopelos, his domicile. Rebroff was homosexual. He died aged 76 in

Frankfurt Frankfurt am Main () is the most populous city in the States of Germany, German state of Hesse. Its 773,068 inhabitants as of 2022 make it the List of cities in Germany by population, fifth-most populous city in Germany. Located in the forela ...

on 27 February 2008, after a long illness. Four days after his death, his brother , who is nine years his senior (and by his own unsubstantiated accounts shot down

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry Antoine Marie Jean-Baptiste Roger, vicomte de Saint-Exupéry (29 June 1900 – 31 July 1944), known simply as Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (, , ), was a French writer, poet, journalist and aviator. Born in Lyon to an French nobility, aristocratic ...

during World War II), claimed part of Rebroff's vast fortune.

LP discography

;1967 :''Volksweisen aus dem alten Russland'' (Folk Songs from Old Russia) ;1968 :''Volksweisen aus dem alten Russland 2'' (Folk Songs from Old Russia Volume II) :''Original Russische Liebeslieder'' :''Na Sdarowje'' (Iwan Rebroff Singt Weisen Von Vodka Und Wein) :''Slawische Seele'' (Compilation album shared with and ) ;1969 :''Beim Klang der Balalaika'', and in French ''Au son des Balalaikas'' :''Favourites from Mother Russia'' :''Abendglocken'' (compilation) :''Russische Weihnacht mit Ivan Rebroff'' :''Ivan Rebroff'' (includes " Lara's Theme" from '' Doctor Zhivago'') :''A Russian Christmas'' :''Un Violon sur le toit'' (soundtrack of French production of ''Fiddler on the Roof'') :''Russische Party'' (live album) :''Festliche Weihnacht'' (with

Regensburger Domspatzen The Regensburger Domspatzen (literally: Regensburg Cathedral Sparrows) is the cathedral choir at the Regensburg Cathedral in Regensburg, Bavaria, Germany. The boys' choir dates back to 975, and consists of boys and young men only. They perform in ...

boys' choir) :''A Festive Christmas'' (''Festliche Weihnacht'' re-issue) ;1970 :''Kosaken müssen reiten'' (German-language versions) :''Ivan Rebroff'' ;1971 :''The Best of Ivan Rebroff'' (compilation) :''Somewhere My Love'' (English-language versions) :''Ivan Rebroff Sing Vir Ons'' (South African album – Gold Disk Award) :''Vir Jou Suid-Afrika'' (South African album) :''Ivan Rebroff (Opera)'' :''Kalinka'' (soundtrack from the 1971 film ', German: ''Das Lied der Balalaika'') :''Mein Russland, du bist schön'' (German-language versions) :''Starportrait'' (compilation) :''Zwischen Donau und Don'' (with Dunja Rajter) ;1972 :''Erinnerungen an Russland'' (Russian-language versions) :''The Best of Ivan Rebroff Volume II'' (compilation) ;1973 :''Lieder der Welt'' (Folk songs from around the world) :''Mein altes Russland'' (lushly arranged Russian folk songs) :''25 Greatest Russian Melodies'' (compilation with Tatjana Iwanow (2 duets)) :''20 Greatest Hits'' (compilation) ;1974 :''Russische Party 2'' (live album) :''Memories of Russia'' ;1975 :''Ivan Rebroff at

Carnegie Hall Carnegie Hall ( ) is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. It is at 881 Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh Avenue, occupying the east side of Seventh Avenue between 56th Street (Manhattan), 56th and 57th Street (Manhattan), 57t ...

'' (live) :''Reich mir die Hand'' :''Russische Lieder von Liebe und Tod'' ;1977 :''Midnight in Moscow'' (Russian-language versions) :''Komm mit nach Hellas'' (German-language versions of Greek songs) ;1978 :''Mitternacht in Moskau'' (German version of ''Midnight in Moscow'') ;1979 :''Ave Maria'' :''Die Ivan Rebroff Versameling'' (compilation of South African tracks) ;1980 :''Zauber einer großen Stimme – 20 unvergängliche Welterfolge'' :''Zauber einer großen Stimme – Seine größten Welterfolge'' :''Die schönsten Lieder dieser Welt (Ivan Rebroff singt 20 unvergängliche Melodien)'' :''Katharina und Potemkin'' (TV musical/operetta) :''The Ivan Rebroff Collection'' (compilation)

CD discography

;1976 :'' Die Fledermaus'' conducted by

Carlos Kleiber Carlos Kleiber (3 July 1930 – 13 July 2004) was a German-born Austrian conductor, who is widely regarded as among the greatest conductors of all time. The son of the conductor Erich Kleiber, he was particularly known for the Romantic rep ...

–

Deutsche Grammophon Deutsche Grammophon (; DGG) is a German classical music record label that was the precursor of the corporation PolyGram. Headquartered in Berlin Friedrichshain, it is now part of Universal Music Group (UMG) since its merger with the UMG family of ...

– with Hermann Prey, Júlia Várady, Lucia Popp, René Kollo, Bernd Weikl, Benno Kusche –

Bavarian State Opera The Bavarian State Opera () is a German opera company based in Munich. Its main venue is the Nationaltheater München, and its orchestra the Bavarian State Orchestra. History The parent ensemble of the company was founded in 1653, under El ...

Chorus and

Bavarian State Orchestra The Bavarian State Orchestra () is the orchestra of the Bavarian State Opera in Munich, Germany. It has given its own series of concerts, the , since 1811. Profile The origins of the ensemble date back to 1523 and the times of composer Ludwig Se ...

;1986 :''Ivan Rebroff Singt Heitere Klassik'' ;1990 :''The Very Best of Ivan Rebroff'' ;1991 :''The Very Best Of Ivan Rebroff (Volume II)'' ;1996 :''Best of Ivan Rebroff'' ;2002 :''Meine Reise um die Welt'' :''The Great Ivan Rebroff'' :''Ach Natascha'' ;2003 :''Seine Größten Welterfolge'' :''Golden Stars'' ;2004 :''Around The World With Ivan Rebroff'' ;2005 :''Stimme Aus Gold'' ;2006 :''Ivan Rebroff – 75 Jahre (Meine Schönsten Lieder)''

Compilation albums

*''Festliche Weihnachten'' *Wunschkonzert *''The Art of Ivan Rebroff'' *''The Best of Russian Folk Songs Vol. 1'' *''The Best of Russian Folk Songs Vol. 2'' *''Erinnerungen an das letzte Jahrhundert'' *''Der Zarewitsch'' *''Weihnachten mit Ivan Rebroff'' *''Die schönste Stimme Rußlands'' *''Kosakenträume''

References

External links

* *
Former official website of Ivan Rebroff
via

Internet Archive The Internet Archive is an American 501(c)(3) organization, non-profit organization founded in 1996 by Brewster Kahle that runs a digital library website, archive.org. It provides free access to collections of digitized media including web ...

Ivan Rebroff fan pagePhotos of Ivan Rebroff
on Skopelos island * (composed by Ludwig Fischer) * , " If I Were a Rich Man" from ''

'' {{DEFAULTSORT:Rebroff, Ivan 1931 births 2008 deaths 20th-century German male singers Musicians from Berlin People from Spandau Recipients of the Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany German basses Singers with a four-octave vocal range Hochschule für Musik und Theater Hamburg alumni German folk singers German expatriates in Greece Gay singers German LGBTQ singers German gay musicians 20th-century German LGBTQ people 21st-century German LGBTQ people