wˌaɪl sˈɪŋɪŋ tə hɪmsˈɛlf hiː wʌz ˌoʊvɚhˈɜːd baɪ ɐn ˈɑːɹmi kˈæptɪn hˌuːz bɹˈʌðɚ wʌz dʒˈɛnɚɹəl mˈænɪdʒɚɹ ʌvðə wˈiːsbædən ˈɑːpɚɹə.
While singing to himself he was overheard by an army captain whose brother was general manager of the Wiesbaden Opera.