hɪz ˌɑːpɚɹˈæɾɪk deɪbjˈuː wʌz ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi wˈʌn ɪn dɹˈɛzdən ænd hiː wʌzɐ mˈɛmbɚɹ ʌv ðæt sˈɪɾiz ˈɑːpɚɹə kˈʌmpəni sˈɛmpɚɹˌoʊpɚ fɹʌm nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi fˈaɪv tə nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti wˈʌn.
His operatic debut was in 1981 in Dresden and he was a member of that city's opera company (Semperoper) from 1985 to 1991.