Endrik Wottrich’s ‘amazing laugh was his best opus’

The German tenor spent yesterday at home in Berlin chatting to friends on the phone. He had a full schedule planned for today. At some point late in the day, he died – ‘of natural causes’, friends say.

UPDATE: We are told it was a heart attack.

He had collapsed a few times in the past year, but doctors could not find a cause. He is survived by a brother, an aunt and an uncle.

Endrik enjoyed life, loved shopping, cultivated friendships. The Berlin-based American soprano Laura Aikin, a close pal, offers this tribute:

Endrik Wottrich 1964-2017

My dear friend of many years. We started out together at the Staatsoper Berlin. I was singing Papagena, he was erste Geharnischte. I remember hearing his voice for the first time. He saw the shock and awe in my face, winked and laughed knowing he had just blown me away.

We shared the stage countless times; were friends through thick and thin, drama and crisis. His voice was glorious, but for me perhaps his amazing laugh was his best opus. Dedicated to his students and never relenting from pursuing the incredibly high standards he set for himself, he knew both triumph and deep despair. Wrapped in his armor of muscle, he made battle with the world. His injuries were not few, but they were outnumbered by his many glorious victories. In his far too short life, he brought much beauty to this planet. I will miss him like a brother. Rest In Peace, you silly goose.