German Baritone Thomas Johannes Mayer has died at the age of 56.

The Bayreuth Festival announced news noting, “The Bayreuth Festival mourns the loss of Thomas J. Mayer, a baritone whose voice filled the Green Hill for many years. As an internationally sought-after artist, he performed at leading opera houses including the Vienna State Opera, the Bavarian State Opera, the Hamburg State Opera, La Scala in Milan, and the Royal Opera House Covent Garden. In Bayreuth, he captivated audiences in central Wagnerian roles: Telramund (Lohengrin), Holländer, the Wanderer (Siegfried), and Amfortas (Parsifal) were brought to life by his powerful voice, precise expression, and profound empathy. Thomas J. Mayer was an artist who did more than sing—he touched hearts. His work, dedication, and stage presence remain a lasting part of the history of the Bayreuth Festival.”

Mayer studied Philosophy, History and Science of Music, and later went to Cologne to study with Liselotte Hammes and Kurt Moll. He went on to make his debut in Regensburg and Darmstadt portraying Don Giovanni and Achilles in Penthesilea.

He went on to perform lieder and concert music as well as many operatic roles from Verdi, Strauss, Wagner, Mozart, Puccini, and Dvorak. He was a member of the Hamburg Staatsoperand went on to sing at the Teatro alla Scala, Bregenz Festival, the Bayreuth Festival, Salzburg Festival Bayerische Staatsoper, Staatsoper Unter den Linden in Berlin, Deutsche Oper of Berlin, Paris National Opera, and many more.