He was one of the TV audience’s favorites, was in demand as a singer and entertainer not only in the East and was still full of ideas in his retirement age. Now Gunther Emmerlich is dead. The native of Thuringia died suddenly and unexpectedly, even for friends and colleagues, on Tuesday at the age of 79 in Dresden. Of heart failure, as his manager Gunter Grebler told the German Press Agency on Wednesday. The MDR reported first. Emmerlich appeared for a TV recording on Sunday, and there were professional and private appointments for the near future, as friends reported.
Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier praised Emmerlich as “one of the great opera singers and entertainers in our country.” “We will miss his sonorous bass, his wit and his charm,” said a letter of condolence from Steinmeier, who also described Emmerlich as a committed contemporary and passionate democrat. “Gunther Emmerlich has repeatedly shown backbone for our liberal democracy; he was an audible, important voice in the fight against misanthropy, hatred and violence.”
With Emmerlich, Germany is losing “a great artist with a big heart,” said Minister of State for Culture Claudia Roth. As a legend of GDR television, the “powerful-voiced opera singer and likeable entertainer” reached an audience of millions in reunified Germany. His distinctive voice, his outstanding presence and his subtle sense of humor would be remembered.
Many charity performances were encouraging
Saxony’s Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer and Culture Minister Barbara Klepsch (both CDU) also reacted with dismay and also acknowledged Emmerlich’s social commitment. “Very sad news just before Christmas,” said Kretschmer. With him, “we are losing a great entertainer and gifted opera singer. He embodied the Saxon joy of life and brought it closer to people all over Germany.” At many charity appearances he also encouraged others and gave them hope.
Singing, directing, moderating, a foray into acting and, most recently, audio books, Emmerlich’s trump card was diversity. He has written three books about his life. Born in Eisenberg (Thuringia) in 1944, Bass wanted to become a pilot or go to sea as a boy, but then, after training as a civil engineer, he studied opera singing at the Franz Liszt University of Music in Weimar.
He conquered GDR television from 1987 onwards
In 1972, the Dresden Opera’s young talent studio hired him – shortly afterwards he was accepted into the ensemble. The banjo player and jazz singer also founded the Semper HouseBand in 1985 with like-minded musicians from the Staatskapelle. From 1987 onwards, the Kammersänger conquered the TV screen in the GDR and even stood up to Thomas Gottschalk’s “Wetten,dass…?” in the West with “Showkolade” – a mix of glitter, contemporary criticism and cabaret.
In 1992 he broke his contract with the Semperoper to work freelance. With shows such as “Take Time”, “Gunther and Drüber” and “Zauberhafte Heimat” he then became a favorite of German television viewers in East and West. In 2008 he made his successful debut at New York’s Carnegie Hall with the opera singer Deborah Sasson. His musical repertoire ranged from church music to song cycles, arias and duets to Dixieland and swing. In 2015 he made his debut in an operetta at the Bad Hersfeld Festival.
Since then he has appeared regularly on small stages with his own program, appeared on television and presented. Emmerlich’s colleague Wolfgang Stumph (“Go Trabi Go”) was dismayed by his death. “It breaks my heart, it’s unbelievable,” said the actor and cabaret artist. The two Dresden residents often worked together, appeared on stage or in front of the camera together and were also close friends in their private lives. “It’s a loss not just for me, but for all of us,” said the 77-year-old sadly. Only recently “we spoke on the phone and talked about joint projects.”
“When Angels Laugh” is his last broadcast
The MDR, where Emmerlich was a fixture in the entertainment program as a presenter for decades, is also mourning his death. He “was an extraordinary person, singer and presenter from our region, valued and popular far beyond Central Germany,” as director Ralf Ludwig explained. “With him we are losing a unique personality and a charismatic ambassador for his homeland.”
On Wednesday evening, the Christmas program “When Angels Laugh”, which was recently recorded with the grandfather, will be broadcast as planned. It was the last for the artistically versatile 1.93 meter man, for whom his profession was his calling and singing his elixir of life. After a lovely Advent concert, he “fell asleep forever at home yesterday,” reported manager Grebler. In the evening the audience could say goodbye to the artist, who loved the stage even with a bypass and pension.
