▁town ▁and ▁in ▁the ▁Schne ider ▁Male ▁Ch orus ▁in ▁K itch ener , ▁Ont , ▁whose ▁director ▁Paul ▁Berg ▁encourag ed ▁him ▁to ▁take ▁voice ▁less ons . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁professional ▁hockey ▁player ▁and ▁owned ▁a ▁tr uck ing ▁business . ▁He ▁trained ▁his ▁voice ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Toronto ▁Opera ▁School ▁as ▁the ▁first ▁recip ient ▁of ▁the ▁Edward ▁Johnson ▁Sch olar ship . ▁ ▁Career ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 8 ▁Fre y ▁was ▁engaged ▁at ▁the ▁Stad tt he ater ▁Bas el ▁where ▁he ▁sang ▁the ▁lead ▁roles ▁in ▁Wer ther ▁( his ▁debut ), ▁F idel io , ▁and ▁The ▁Bar tered ▁B ride . ▁He ▁was ▁engaged ▁in ▁February ▁ 1 9 8 6 ▁to ▁substitute ▁for ▁Peter ▁Hof mann ▁in ▁the ▁title ▁role ▁of ▁L ohen gr in ▁at ▁Mann heim . ▁Wolfgang ▁Wagner ▁heard ▁the ▁acc laimed ▁performance ▁and ▁signed ▁Fre y ▁to ▁sing ▁at ▁the ▁Bay re uth ▁Festival , ▁where ▁he ▁deb uted ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 7 ▁as ▁L ohen gr in ▁( l ater ▁broadcast ▁by ▁the ▁C BC ) ▁and ▁repr ised ▁the ▁role ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 8 ▁under ▁conduct or ▁Peter ▁Schne ider ▁and ▁stage ▁director ▁Werner ▁Herzog . ▁After ▁his ▁Bay re uth ▁debut , ▁he ▁performed ▁at ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁major ▁European ▁opera ▁houses , ▁especially ▁as ▁ ▁Wagner ' s ▁L ohen gr in , ▁Par s if al , ▁Erik , ▁and ▁Wal ther ▁von ▁St ol zing , ▁although