# Ivan Rebroff

> German singer (1931–2008)

**Wikidata**: [Q57396](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q57396)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivan_Rebroff)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/ivan-rebroff

## Summary

Ivan Rebroff (1931–2008) was a German singer whose career spanned opera, recording artistry, and composition. Active from 1968 to 2007, he was affiliated with Columbia Records and trained at the Hamburg University of Music and Drama, becoming recognized for his contributions to the operatic and broader music traditions.

## Biography

- **Born:** 1931
- **Died:** 2008
- **Nationality:** German
- **Education:** Hamburg University of Music and Drama (a university of music in Hamburg, Germany, established in 1950, employing approximately 270 staff)
- **Known for:** Opera singing, recording artistry, and musical composition
- **Affiliations:** Columbia Records (American record label, founded January 15, 1889, headquartered in New York City, owned by Sony, operating in the music industry)
- **Field(s):** Music, opera, singing
- **Active years:** 1968–2007
- **Also known as:** Hans Rippert, Hans-Rolf Rippert, Hans Rolf Rippert, Iwan Rebroff
- **Website:** http://www.ivan-rebroff.de/index2.htm#unten

## Contributions

Ivan Rebroff's professional contributions centered on three interconnected roles within the music world. As an **opera singer**, he performed within the art form that combines sung text and musical scores in theatrical settings — a tradition dating back to around 1600. As a **recording artist**, he produced musical recordings, with his work associated with **Columbia Records**, one of the major American record labels. As a **composer**, he authored music, contributing original compositions to the broader musical landscape. His active working period stretched from 1968 to 2007, a career of nearly four decades. He was documented across 33 sitelinks on Wikidata and maintained an official website at ivan-rebroff.de.

## FAQs

**What was Ivan Rebroff's real name?**
He was born Hans Rolf Rippert, also recorded as Hans-Rolf Rippert and Hans Rippert. He performed professionally under the name Ivan Rebroff, with the variant spelling Iwan Rebroff.

**Where did Ivan Rebroff study music?**
He was affiliated with the Hamburg University of Music and Drama, a music university located in Hamburg, Germany, which was established in 1950.

**What record label was Ivan Rebroff associated with?**
He was connected to Columbia Records, an American record label owned by Sony, headquartered in New York City, originally founded on January 15, 1889.

**How long was Ivan Rebroff active in his career?**
His documented work period spanned from 1968 to 2007 — roughly 39 years of professional activity in music and opera.

## Why They Matter

Ivan Rebroff's significance lies in his versatility across three musical disciplines — opera singing, recording artistry, and composition — during a period of considerable transformation in the recorded music industry. His affiliation with Columbia Records, a label with roots stretching back to the late 19th century, placed him within one of the most storied lineages in music recording. His training at the Hamburg University of Music and Drama connected him to Germany's robust institutional framework for musical education, a country whose musical traditions span from the Holy Roman Empire through the Weimar Republic and into the modern Federal Republic. Rebroff's long career, bridging the late 1960s through 2007, meant he operated across multiple eras of music production and distribution, contributing to the operatic art form as both performer and creator.

## Notable For

- German opera singer, recording artist, and composer active from 1968 to 2007
- Affiliated with Columbia Records, a major American record label owned by Sony
- Educated at the Hamburg University of Music and Drama in Germany
- Career spanning nearly four decades in the music and opera fields
- Known by multiple names: Hans Rippert, Hans-Rolf Rippert, Hans Rolf Rippert, Iwan Rebroff
- Maintained an official web presence at ivan-rebroff.de

## Body

### Early Life and Education

Ivan Rebroff was born in 1931 in Germany. His birth name was Hans Rolf Rippert, with variations recorded as Hans-Rolf Rippert and Hans Rippert. He later adopted the stage name Ivan Rebroff (alternatively spelled Iwan Rebroff) for his professional career.

Rebroff's musical education took place at the **Hamburg University of Music and Drama**, a university of music located in Hamburg, Germany. The institution was founded in 1950 and employed approximately 270 staff members. Germany has a long and storied musical tradition, and the country's formal dedication to arts education provided the institutional backbone for Rebroff's development as a singer and musician.

### Professional Career

Rebroff's documented working period began in **1968** and concluded in **2007**, representing nearly 39 years of professional activity. His career encompassed three primary roles:

- **Opera Singer:** Rebroff performed in operas, contributing to an art form that combines sung text and musical scores within theatrical settings. Opera as an art form has roots dating back to approximately 1600.
- **Recording Artist:** He performed music specifically for recorded productions. His work in this capacity connected him to **Columbia Records**, an American record label owned by Sony. Columbia Records was founded on January 15, 1889, is headquartered in New York City, and operates within the music industry.
- **Composer:** Rebroff also authored original music, contributing compositions across various forms.

### Musical Context and Fields

Rebroff operated within the broad field of **music** — defined as the art using sound — with a particular emphasis on **opera** and **singing**, the latter being the act of producing musical sounds with the voice. His nationality as German placed him within the cultural framework of Germany, a country in Central Europe with a rich and complex history of musical innovation and institutional support for the arts.

### Digital Presence and Documentation

Rebroff maintained an official website at http://www.ivan-rebroff.de/index2.htm#unten. He is documented across 33 sitelinks on Wikidata and has a corresponding Wikipedia article under the title "Ivan Rebroff."

### Death and Legacy

Ivan Rebroff died in 2008, leaving behind a career that bridged the live operatic stage and the recorded music industry. His multidisciplinary contributions as a singer, recording artist, and composer, combined with his association with a major record label and a prestigious German music academy, mark him as a figure of note in twentieth-century German musical life.

## References

1. Integrated Authority File
2. BnF authorities
3. datos.bne.es
4. Czech National Authority Database
5. International Standard Name Identifier
6. MusicBrainz
7. Virtual International Authority File
8. SNAC
9. filmportal.de
10. Discogs
11. Munzinger Personen
12. [Source](http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5idqBSbFSamREpUxaUAIFrduqEw3g)
13. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
14. Quora
15. performing-arts.ch