Alfred Vökt

Alfred Vökt
Alfred Vökt
Born	21 May 1926; Basel, Switzerland
Died	14 June 1999 (aged 73); Basel, Switzerland
Education	University of Basel
Occupation	Operatic tenor
Organizations	Staatstheater Kassel; Opernhaus Dortmund; Oper Frankfurt;

Alfred Vökt (German: [fœkt]; 21 May 1926 – 14 June 1999) was a Swiss operatic tenor who made a career at major opera houses, mainly in Germany. He focused on supporting roles and took part in world premieres such as Henze's König Hirsch in Kassel and Hans Zender's Stephen Climax at the Oper Frankfurt in 1986. Vökt appeared at major European opera houses and festivals.

Career

Born in Basel, Vökt first studied law at the University of Basel, being awarded a Doctor of Law in 1955; at the same time, he studied voice with Ernst Reiter.^[1]^[2] He was a member of a choir in Basel from 1950 to 1958.^[1]

He was an ensemble member of

Mathis der Maler. He took part in the premiere of Eli by Walter Steffens in 1967.^[1]

Vökt was a member of the Oper Frankfurt from 1968 to 1992 and appeared as a guest thereafter.^[1] In Frankfurt, he created the role of the Tanzlehrer (dance master) in Hans Zender's Stephen Climax on 15 June 1986. Other roles there included Bardolfo in Verdi's Falstaff, Hauk-Šendorf in Janáček's Die Sache Makropulos and Monsieur Triquet in Tchaikovsky's Eugen Onegin.^[1]

Vökt appeared as a guest in Bordeaux, at

Hamburgische Staatsoper, the Théâtre Musical de Paris, in Toulouse and at the Theater an der Wien. He sang on radio for the WDR.^[1]

Vökt was also active in concert.[1] In 1976, he recorded the part of the Evangelist in Bach's Christmas Oratorio (Parts I to IV) in Düsseldorf, with Ingeborg Reichelt singing the soprano part and E. Wolfram Fürll conducting.^[4]

Vökt died on 14 June 1999 in his hometown.^[1]