Robert Schunk (born 5 January 1948) is a German operatic tenor who appeared in leading roles such as Florestan in Fidelio, Siegmund in Wagner's Die Walküre and the Emperor in Die Frau ohne Schatten by Richard Strauss, at international opera houses and festivals.
From 1973 to 1975 he was a member of the ensemble of the Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe, where he made his debut as Jack in Tippett's The Midsummer Marriage.
[1] In 1977, Schunk made his debut at the Bayreuth Festival, first in smaller roles, such as Walther von der Vogelweide in Tannhäuser, Melot and the young sailor in Tristan und Isolde, a Grail Knight in Parsifal and Erik in Der fliegende Holländer.
[1] In 1986 he appeared as Florestan in Beethoven's Fidelio at the Metropolitan Opera, opposite Hildegard Behrens in the title role,[1] returning in 1989 as Siegmund and in 1990 as the Emperor, a role which he had also performed for his 1987 debut at the Royal Opera House.
[1] He recorded the tenor solo in Beethoven's Ninth Symphony in 1986, conducted by Georg Solti with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra & Chorus, alongside Jessye Norman, Reinhild Runkel and Hans Sotin.