Born in Kassel (Germany), he studied singing with Professor Martin Gründler in Frankfurter Musikhochschule in 1976-82. He was then awarded by Hindemith Foundation in recognition of his achievements. While he was a student, he sang in “pocket opera company nürnberg” and pursued an intensive concert schedule across Western Europe, as well as in Poland, Romania, the Czech Republic, Mexico, Venezuela and Japan. He took part in disc recordings and many recordings for the radio and the television programme “Anneliese Rothenberger presents” (1986).
His contracts led him through Hof and Cologne to Dortmund, where, at the age of 30, he sang the highly demanding part of Othello. Since 1988 he has been a member of Deutsche Oper am Rhein, where he played nearly all major roles. In 1996, Deutsche Oper am Rhein awarded him the title of Kammersänger.
In 1983-87, he was a member of Eutiner Sommerspiele, in the season 1989-90 he sang at the festival in Bregenza, in 1991 he took part in the festival in Salzburg, and made his debut in Staatsoper in Vienna. Then he made his debut at the festival in Bayreuth (Tannhäuser, 1992), and appeared in the part of Siegfried in the new production of The Nibelung’s Ring conducted by James Levine and Alfred Kirchner (1994). He made a successful appearance in the Metropolitan Opera in New York in 1993, and there he sang Wagner parts in the subsequent seasons. In 1997, he gave the first performance at La Scala of Milan in the part of Siegfried under the baton of Riccardo Muti, while in 1999 he appeared at the opening of the season in the premiere of Wagner’s Twilight of the Gods.
As an opera and concert singer, he performed at numerous European festivals: Internationale Maifestspiele Wiesbaden, Dresdner Opern Festspiele, Brucknerfest Linz, the Prague Spring, Teatro Festival Parma, May Fest Glasgow, Festival de Wallonie, Flandern Festival, Festival de Otono (Madrid) and Festival Internacional Cervantino (Mexico).