Bass-baritone Michael Lion has died at the age of 60.

Lion initially studied piano but eventually switched to conducting. He graduated from the Nuremberg University of Music and later completed external vocal studies there.

Lion made his debut at the Nuremberg State Theater where he performed his first roles as the First Soldier in Strauss’ “Salome,” Meister Ortel in “Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg,” and Marches in “La traviata.”

From 2001 to 2002, Lion also performed as a second bass in the opera choir of the Chemnitz Theater and became a permanent soloist at the Städtebundtheater Hof from 2002 to 2007.

The bass-baritone became a member of the ensemble Coburg State Theater, where he would sing from 2008 to 2025. Among the many roles that he performed at the house included Don Pasquale, Prince Gremin, Colline, Balstrode, Kaspar, Leporello, King Henry, Scarpia, and Ochs.

Lion also performed at houses in the world, including the Singapore Lyric Opera, Mannheim State Theater, Meiningen State Theater, and National Concert Hall in Taipei.

Recently, he had made a name for himself in Wagner roles as Gurnemanz, Wotan in “Rheingold,” and in “Die Walküre,” Wanderer, and “Hagen.” In 2025, he was named Kammersänger in Coburg.