Education
A native of Braubach, Schlusnus studied with voice teachers in Berlin and Frankfurt before making his debut at Hamburg"s opera house in 1915.
A native of Braubach, Schlusnus studied with voice teachers in Berlin and Frankfurt before making his debut at Hamburg"s opera house in 1915.
He sang opera and lieder with equal distinction. Schlusnus sang at Nuremberg from 1915 to 1917 and at the prestigious Berlin State Opera from 1917 until 1951. He was engaged by the Chicago Opera for its 1927-1928 season and appeared at the Bayreuth Festival in 1933.
During his highly acclaimed tenure at Berlin, Schlusnus established himself as Germany"s greatest performer of Verdi"s baritone roles and, according to most critics, no subsequent German-speaking baritone has matched his supremacy in this field
Schlusnus excelled in the lighter Wagnerian parts, too, and in operatic works by other German composers. As an interpreter of lieder, he often performed with the German pianists Franz Rupp and Sebastian Peschko.
By all accounts, Schlusnus was not a magnetic actor like two famous fellow Verdi baritones of subsequent generations: Lawrence Tibbett and Tito Gobbi. By way of compensation, however, he was blessed with an exceedingly beautiful high baritone voice and an impeccable legato style of singing to go with lieutenant
Indeed, Schlusnus" polished bel canto technique, coupled with the prudent management of his vocal resources, enabled him to enjoy an unusually long career.
He died in Frankfurt, not long after retiring from the stage, at the age of 63.