▁Bav aria , ▁Germany ▁on ▁January ▁ 2 4 , ▁ 1 9 4 4 . ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 0 s , ▁he ▁worked ▁as ▁an ▁us her ▁at ▁the ▁Deutsche ▁Oper ▁in ▁West ▁Berlin ▁where ▁he ▁sang ▁for ▁the ▁other ▁us h ers ▁and ▁maintenance ▁crew ▁on ▁stage ▁in ▁front ▁of ▁the ▁fire ▁cur tain ▁after ▁performances . ▁He ▁also ▁sang ▁opera ▁a rias ▁at ▁the ▁Berlin ▁gay ▁disc othèque ▁Kle ist ▁Cas ino . ▁ ▁Nom i ▁moved ▁to ▁New ▁York ▁City ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 2 . ▁He ▁began ▁his ▁invol vement ▁with ▁the ▁art ▁scene ▁based ▁in ▁the ▁East ▁Village . ▁According ▁to ▁The ▁Nom i ▁Song , ▁a ▁document ary ▁by ▁Andrew ▁Horn , ▁Nom i ▁took ▁singing ▁less ons ▁and ▁supported ▁himself ▁as ▁a ▁pas try ▁chef . ▁ ▁Career ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 2 , ▁Nom i ▁appeared ▁in ▁a ▁sat ir ical ▁camp ▁production ▁of ▁Richard ▁Wagner ' s ▁Das ▁R he ing old ▁at ▁Charles ▁Lud lam ' s ▁R id icul ous ▁Theater ▁Company ▁as ▁the ▁Rhein ma id ens ▁and ▁the ▁Wood ▁Bird . ▁He ▁came ▁to ▁the ▁attention ▁of ▁New ▁York ▁City ' s ▁art ▁scene ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 8 ▁with ▁his ▁performance ▁in ▁" New ▁W ave ▁V au dev ille ", ▁a ▁four - night ▁event ▁MC ' d ▁by ▁artist ▁David ▁Mc D erm ott . ▁D ress ed ▁in ▁a ▁skin - t ight ▁spaces uit ▁with ▁a ▁clear ▁pl