Franz Xaver Gerl low vocal range; Branscombe (1991) observes that the very low notes that Mozart included in the part of Sarastro have been "the despair of many a bass singer since." By 1787 he had joined the theatrical company of Emanuel Schikaneder, for which he sang the demanding role of Osmin in Mozart's opera "The Abduction from the Seraglio" and other roles. In 1789 the troupe settled at the Theater auf der Wieden in Vienna. Gerl participated in a system of joint composition used by Schikaneder's troupe, in which "Singspiele" were produced rapidly by having several composers collaborate. As such, Gerl may
Michael Langdon to his teacher's amazement. He excelled at the less academic school he attended. He disliked school and was pleased to leave. He sang in "The Midsummer Marriage", "Gloriana", "The Olympians", "Billy Budd", "A Midsummer Night's Dream", "Don Carlos", "Arabella", "Der Rosenkavalier", "Don Pasquale" and "The Abduction from the Seraglio", among others. He was principal bass at the Royal Opera House from 1951 and sang in most of the great opera houses of the world, most often in the role of Baron Ochs in "Der Rosenkavalier" during the 1960s and 1970s. His voice has been described as 'basso profundo'. He could