Günter Wewel

Günter Wewel (* 29 November 1934 in Arnsberg) is a German opera singer (bass) and presenter.

Life

Born in the Sauerland region, Günter Wewel initially trained as a civil servant with the German Federal Railways after leaving school. He then trained as an opera singer at the Musikhochschule in Dortmund. After graduating, he sang in over 80 opera productions (including Sarastro in Mozart’s Magic Flute and Daland in Wagner’s Flying Dutchman) at various opera houses. In the mid-1980s he took part in a complete recording by the Saarland State Theatre in Saarbrücken of Tannhäuser and the Sängerkrieg auf Wartburg in the role of Landgrave Hermann. In 1989 he was awarded the title of Kammersänger.

From 1989 to 2007 Günter Wewel was the presenter of the musical entertainment programme Kein schöner Land for television. The series produced by Saarländischer Rundfunk (over 150 episodes) ran at irregular intervals. Günter Wewel took his guests to various parts of Europe and presented people, landscapes and customs. The musical part of the show ranged from typical folklore to pop and folk music to light classical music. Wewel himself also regularly contributed songs.

He recorded numerous folk songs and popular titles in addition to his opera titles. He had been married to his wife since 1959. Gisela Wewel died on 20 September 2014 at the age of 76.^[1]

Wewel’s residence in Arnsberg

The couple was threatened in 2013 to blow up their home – whose pavement is heated underground in winter because of ice and slippery conditions. The blackmailer was caught in a fake money delivery and sentenced to one and a half years in prison.^[2]^[3]

Honors

1992: Federal Cross of Merit on ribbon
1992: Hermann Löns Medal in gold
1996: Order of Merit of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia
1999: Golden Europe
1999: Ring of honour of his hometown Arnsberg

Success Title

1979: You like the Rhine (Westphalia song)
1987: Every day is not a Sunday
1987: Tired a wanderer returns
1992: The Wild Hunt
1994: It’s already dark on the heath
1998: Off to the merry chase

Albums (selection)

1980: Where beer is drunk – Songs for a merry toast
1982: Gasparone
1989: A Russian fairy tale – The most beautiful Russian folk songs
1994: No beautiful country
1998: Hunting and forest songs
Who loves the homeland – The most beautiful homeland songs of Germany

Web links

Günter Wewel at Operissimo on the basis of the Great Singers’ Encyclopedia
Günter Wewel Homepage

Individual references

↑ Kammersänger Günter Wewel – The bass voice from the Sauerland.July 22, 2019, accessed April 15, 2021 (German).
↑ 100.000 euros: TV presenter Günter Wewel was blackmailed.Retrieved 15 April 2021.
↑ Rolf Hansmann, Klaus Lindner:Wewel blackmailer from Arnsberg must be imprisoned for 18 months.12 June 2013, retrieved 15 April 2021 (German).

Personal data
NAME	Wewel, Günter
SHORT DESCRIPTION	german opera singer (bass) and presenter
DATE OF BIRTH	29. November 1934
PLACE OF BIRTH	Arnsberg

[1] Kammersänger Günter Wewel – The bass voice from the Sauerland.July 22, 2019, accessed April 15, 2021 (German).

[2] 100.000 euros: TV presenter Günter Wewel was blackmailed.Retrieved 15 April 2021.

[3] Rolf Hansmann, Klaus Lindner:Wewel blackmailer from Arnsberg must be imprisoned for 18 months.12 June 2013, retrieved 15 April 2021 (German).

[1]

[2]

[3]