Danish Tenor HELGE ROSWAENGE, the KNIGHT OF the High D, was the most popular Heroic Tenor of the Weimar Berlin of the 1920s and 30s

Berlin Recording with the Orchestra of Berlin State Opera Bruno Seidler-Winkler cond in one of the amazing war time recordings

HMV, Berlin 1943

2RA5855-2 Giuditta (Lehár): Du bist meine Sonne DB7664
2RA5856-1 Giuditta (Lehár): Freunde, das Leben ist lebenswert DB7664

Bruno Seidler-Winkler, Orchester der Staatsoper

Helge Rosvaenge (Roswaenge, Rosvænge), Helge Anton Rosenvinge Hansen, (born August 29, 1897 in Copenhagen - died June 17, 1972 in Munich) was a famous Opera Singer (Tenor) whose career became restricted to Germany, Austria and occupied Europe because of World War II.

He made his debut at Neustrelitz as Don Jose in 1921. Engagements followed at Altenburg, Basle, Cologne (1927-30) and the Berlin State Opera, where he was leading tenor from 1930 to 1944, being especially distinguished in the Italian repertory. He also sang regularly at the Vienna State Opera (from 1936) and in Munich; he appeared at Salzburg (debut in Der Rosenkavalier) between 1932 and 1939 as Tamino, Huon (Oberon) and Florestan (Fidelio), and made his debut at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, in 1938 as Florestan. He sang Parsifal at Bayreuth in 1934 and 1936 but otherwise avoided the Wagnerian repertory.

After World War II Rosvaenge divided his time between Berlin and Vienna, continuing to sing until May 30, 1959 (when he gave what was billed as his farewll concert at the Vienna Great Musikvereinsaal) as Calaf, Radames and Manrico. His voice showed almost no sign of age; it was warm and sonorous throughout its scale, and brilliant and lustrous in its top register.

Rosvaenge appeared in a wide spectrum of roles ranging from Mozart to Puccini, to Verdi and Wagner. "With a steely voice, brilliant high notes and insistent declamation throughout its scale, and brilliant and lustrous in its top register" , (wrote Luiz Eduardo Goncalves Gabarra), Rosvaenge was an impressive Andrea Chenier as well as an acclaimed and exciting Othello: he was often heard as the jealous stricken Moor (Othello) on German radio.

He was a prolific recording artist, with records being produced as early as 1927 by The Gramophone Company (now EMI), and later the Parlophone and Odeon labels. He carried out a tour of the USA prior to his retirement.