On Sept. 14, 2025, bass-baritone Siegmund Nimsgern died at the age of 85.

Born on Jan. 14, 1940, in Sankt Wendel, Saarland, Nimsgern studied singing and musical education at the Hochschule für Musik Saar.

In 1967, he made his debut at the Saarländisches Staatstheater in Saarbrücken, and in 1971, he became an ensemble member at the Deutsche Oper am Rhein in Düsseldorf and Duisburg.

That engagement was the start of his international career. Nimsgern would go on to perform at some of the world’s most prestigious theaters, including the Teatro alla Scala, Royal Opera House, Metropolitan Opera, and Vienna State Opera.

Among his most important roles were Jochanaan in “Salome,” Kurwenal in “Tristan und Isolde,” the title role of “Nabucco,” and Fernando in “Fidelio.” However, he is best known for his Wotan, which he most famously sang between 1983 to 1986 at the Bayreuth Festival under Georg Solti, Peter Schneider, and Peter Hall.

Outside his work on stage, Nimsgern was a visiting professor at the Mozarteum in Salzburg and a professor at the Saarland University of Music and Theatre.

Nimsgern left numerous recordings, including ” Der Vampyr,” “Schwanda the Bagpiper,” “Martha,” “Hansel and Gretel,” “La serva padrona,” “Parsifal,” “Lohengrin,” and “Der Ring Des Nibelungen.” The bass-baritone was  also recognized with many prizes, including four Grammy nominations and one win for “Lohengrin.”