Opera singer

Born 23rd August 1927

Died 10th February 2018

The celebrated baritone and vocal coach Raimund Herincx, who has died aged 90, was a well-known figure in Scottish music circles.

Mr Herincx was recognised as a powerful exponent of many of the most demanding bass-baritone roles in opera. He was also the senior – and a most distinguished – visiting professor and voice coach for over 30 years at the North East of Scotland Music School (NESMS).

As a performer Mr Herincx dramatically inhabited the challenging roles he undertook – notably Wotan in the Wagner Ring Cycle – while bringing to them a refined vocal energy and musical excellence.

He was a renowned interpreter of contemporary music and sang to acclaim in three world premieres at Covent Garden and was acknowledged as a specialist in the interpretation of operas and songs by Michael Tippett.

Generations of students at NESMS benefited from the care and attention Mr Herincx imparted over the years. His musical judgement was assured and he always offered advice in a balanced and constructive manner. He took time with all his students and patiently coaxed each one – even one over 80 – to colour phrases and get the best out of their voice.

The Reverend Kenneth Petrie, now of Craigiebuckler Parish Church, was one of Mr Herincx’s students and recalls, “Raimund was a great character with a tremendous musical knowledge. Lessons with him were always a great pleasure and very enjoyable - he was always very gracious and encouraging.”

Raimund Frederick Herincx was born in London the son of a Flemish military tailor. He was educated locally and his talent for singing was recognised by Ralph Vaughan Williams at a school’s music festival in London.

He joined the Life Guards in 1944 but was wounded in northern France. He remained in the army studying for a chemistry degree at Birkbeck College an was demobilised in 1948.

He decided to pursue a career in music and studied singing in Belgium and Milan making his operatic debut with Welsh National Opera in 1950 – singing the title role of Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro.

For the next decade Mr Herincx was a regular member of the WNO ensemble appearing in a wide variety of roles making a particularly memorable appearance in the title role of a new production of Verdi’s Nabucco.

In 1957 Mr Herincx joined Sadler’s Wells Opera (now English National Opera) where he sang the principal baritone roles in the Italian repertory and contemporary parts such as Nick Shadow in The Rake’s Progress and Segura in the world premiere of Our Man in Havanna by Malcolm Williamson.

From 1958, Mr Herincx became a regular visitor to Scotland when Sadler’s Wells annually toured the four principal cities – often conducted by the young Alexander Gibson, then musical director of the company.

The roles included Escamillo in Carmen and Dutchman in Flying Dutchman but Mr Herincx is best remembered for the outstanding accounts of Wotan he gave in 1975/76 in The Ring Cycle under Sir Charles Mackerras. The official history of that ENO visit to Scotland mentions, “When he appeared on tour in Glasgow he “only” sang the three Wotan roles (on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday), but on the previous year’s tour he had also sung Hagen on the Saturday night.”

The conductor Sir Colin Davis was a great admirer of the warmth and flexibility of Mr Herincx’s voice. Sir Colin was a leading authority on the music of Michael Tippett and cast Mr Herincx in the pivotal role of King Fisher in his 1968 production of the composer’s The Midsummer Marriage at Covent Garden. Two years later Mr Herincx created the role of Faber in Tippett’s new opera The Knot Garden directed by Peter Hall. Mr Herincx was to appear in two other world premieres with the Royal Opera (Peter Maxwell Davies’s Taverner and Hans Werner Henze’s complex We Come to the River).

In an extensive recording career Mr Herincx’s interpretation of Tippett, Taverner and Vaughan Williams are wonderfully preserved on disc. He was also involved in an historic 1967 recording of The Messiah (with Janet Baker, Elizabeth Harwood and Robert Tear) conducted by Mackerras.

Mr Herincx’s commitment to NESMS was total. Jenny Shirreffs, a member of NESMS’ council comments, “Raimund encouraged and enthused his students. He had a great love of the songs of Robert Burns and often sang them at end of term concerts.

“In 1991 he was awarded an honorary degree and to honour the occasion he made special settings of some of Burns’ songs which he later presented to the university. Raimund had a great affection for Aberdeen and the north east: he was a treasure and larger than life.”

Raimund Herincx, a wine connoisseur and much involved in Artists’ Association Against Aids, married Astra Blair in 1954. She and their two daughters and a son survive him.

Alasdair Steven