Spas Wenkoff

Spas Wenkoff (Спас Венков) (23 September 1928 – 12 August 2013) was a Bulgarian-Austrian operatic tenor. He was known internationally for mastering the heldentenor roles by Wagner, such as Tristan and Tannhäuser. He appeared in his signature role Tristan first in 1975 at the Staatsoper Dresden, followed by the centenary Bayreuth Festival in 1976, and the Metropolitan Opera in 1981, among many others. He was a member of the Berlin State Opera from 1976 to 1984, and then appeared freelance at major opera houses. He was awarded the title Kammersänger in both Berlin and Vienna.

Career Born in Veliko Tarnovo, Wenkoff initially studied law and worked for several years as a lawyer. He also studied singing, first in Tarnovo and Ruse, later in Dresden with Johannes Kemter. He appeared in other Wagner roles such as Stolzing, Parsifal, Siegmund and Siegfried.