Wilhelm Wissiak (Bass) (Brünn, Germany 1878 † Hannover, Germany 7. Januar 1960)

He studied singing at the Vienna Konservatorium and made his debut in 1902 at the Stadttheater of Elberfeld in ‘’Lohengrin’’. There he remained till, Berlin and then was active in the 1904-1905 season he appeared at the Nationaltheater in Berlin, from 1905-1908 at the  Hofoper in Vienna. In the 1909-1914 seasons he was a member of the Stadttheater in Strasbourg and in 1914 he joined to the Hoftheater, later at the Landestheater in Hannover. In 1910 he made guest appearances at the Hofoper in München. In 1912 and 1917 he sang at the Hofoper in Dresden. His repertoire included Osmin in "Entführung aus dem Serail", Sarastro in the ‘’Magic Flute’’, Kaspar in ‘’Freischütz’’, Cardinal Brogni in ‘’La Juive’’, King Philipp in ‘’ Don Carlo’’, Landgraf in ‘’Tannhäuser’’ and Ochs in "Rosenkavalier". In Hannover he appeared in several opera premieres:

1927 Herrn Dürers Bild (J. G. Mraczek)

1931 Der Freikorporal (G. Vollerthun)

1934 Blondin im Glück (Hans Grimm)

1937 Die Fasnacht von Rottweil (W. Kempf)
In 1927 at the Internationale Händel-Festspiele Göttingen he appeared in opera ‘’Radamisto’’. His older brother Richard Wissiak, who received his education in Vienna, since 1897 appeared as bass. In the 1905-1911 seasons he was engaged by the Komischen Oper in Berlin and from 1911-1913 seasons sang at the Kurfürsten-Oper  in Berlin.

Chronology of some appearances

1902 Elberfeld Stadttheater

1904-1905 Berlin Nationaltheater

1905-1908 Vienna Hofoper

1909-1914 Strasbourg Stadttheater

1910 München Hofoper

1912 Dresden Hofoper

1914 Hannover Hoftheater

1915 ? Hannover Landestheater

1917 Dresden Hofoper

RECORDINGS FOR SALE

Odeon, Wien 1906-05/07
Favorite (Donizetti): Hell schon des Himmels Sterne  X25726 Vx1191 
Robert le diable (Meyerbeer): Nonnen, die ihr hier ruht X38289 Vx1362 
Entführung aus dem Serail (Mozart): Wer ein Liebchen hat gefunden X38344 Vx1359 
Entführung aus dem Serail (Mozart): Solche hergelauf'ne Laffen X38323 Vx1399 
Faust (Gounod): O Nacht, verbreitehier dein schatt'ges Reich X38300
Guillaume Tell (Rossini): Terzett with Maikl & Melms X38357

Odeon, Wien 1907
Huguenots (Meyerbeer): Die Klöster brennt alle ab X38492 

Odeon, Wien 1907/1908
Wenn ich einmal der Herrgott wär' (Binder) X25605 Vx2587