Born Helge Anton Rosenvinge Hansen in Copenhagen in 1897, his path seemed predetermined at first: studies in chemistry at the polytechnic, a degree as an engineer. But alongside the test tubes came the voice — private lessons with a former pupil of Jean de Reszke opened a second life.
His debut came in 1921 in Neustrelitz as Don José in Bizet's "Carmen" — not a fanfare opening, but hard provincial work. Engagements in Altenburg, Basel and Cologne followed, shaping him. In 1929 came the leap to the Berlin State Opera as Richard Tauber's successor — a position he would hold until 1944. From 1930 onward he sang in parallel at the Vienna State Opera, from 1932 at the Salzburg Festival, in 1934 and 1936 as Parsifal in Bayreuth, and in 1938 as Florestan in "Fidelio" at Covent Garden in London.
His repertoire was exceptionally broad: the great Mozart roles (Tamino, Don Ottavio), the Italian repertoire (Manrico, Radames, Calaf), Beethoven's Florestan, Weber's Hüon, Strauss' Bacchus, the full Puccini spectrum, operetta and Lied. Over 200 performances per year in his most productive seasons, across more than 25 different cities — only possible thanks to a "go anywhere" contract with Lufthansa and later his own private aircraft. Den flyvende sanger — the flying singer — as the Danish press called him.
In 1934 he was named Prussian Kammersänger, in 1936 Royal Danish Kammersänger. The years from 1933 to 1945 were artistically his zenith, and politically the darkest chapter of his biography — a chapter this site will address elsewhere in detail, drawing on primary sources.
After the war came six months of internment in a Soviet camp near Moscow, followed by his return to Denmark — where the press received him as a collaborator, though he was never charged or convicted. A period as a ship-paints chemist in Vigo followed, a comeback in Switzerland, and finally from 1949 the return to the Vienna State Opera, where he sang until 1959. In 1951 he received the Golden Ring of the Vienna State Opera, in 1955 honorary membership of the Berlin State Opera.
His 70th birthday was celebrated in 1967 on the stage of the Theater an der Wien as Sou Chong in "The Land of Smiles". He marked 50 years on the stage at the age of 73 in a world premiere. He died on 19 June 1972 in Munich. He is buried at Glostrup Nordre Kirkegård in Denmark — a Danish citizen to the very last. In 1983, Vienna's Donaustadt district named a street after him: Rosvaengegasse.
