
Ivan Rebroff
Ivan Rebroff (31 July 1931 – 27 February 2008) was a German-born vocalist, allegedly of Russian ancestry, who rose to prominence for his distinct and extensive vocal range of four and a half octaves, ranging from the soprano to bass registers. Rebroff was born in Berlin as Hans-Rolf Rippert to German parents. His parents were Paul Rippert, an engineer born in 1897 in Liebenwerda, and Luise Fenske, born in Bydgoszcz (then part of Prussian Bromberg). He claimed Russian descent, and while often disputed, this has never been totally refuted. In a 1989 interview with Izvestia, he said "according to documents I am Ivan Pavlovich Rebroff" (Russian: Иван Павлович Ребров). He studied singing at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater Hamburg. Although his knowledge and pronunciation of Russian was imperfect, he became famous for singing Russian folk songs, but also performed opera, light classics and folk songs from many other countries. He was known on stage for his gusto. He performed over 6,000 concerts in his career, including a two-year seven-day-a-week stint at the French opera, singing and acting, among other greats, the role of Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof. Rebroff still performed 12 shows in 14 days when he was well into his seventies, such as on an Australian tour. Ivan Rebroff described himself as international, the "connection between East and West". He became a citizen of Greece and lived on the Greek island of Skopelos in the Sporades. Rebroff was homosexual. As well as being a phenomenal singer, videos such as this and photos such as this suggest that he was at least a reasonable violinist and keyboardist (he is pictured playing a church organ but may have also played the piano). He died in Frankfurt after a long illness. Four days after his death, his brother Horst Rippert, who is nine years his senior (and by his own unsubstantiated accounts shot down Antoine de Saint Exupéry during World War II), claimed part of Rebroff's vast fortune.
59 acting credits
Acting · 59

DAS!
1991

NDR Talk Show
1979

Champs-Elysées
1982

Sacrée soirée
1987

Vivement dimanche
1998

Wetten, dass..?
1981

ZDF-Fernsehgarten
1986

Le Grand Échiquier
1972

Le monde est à vous
1987

Dalli Dalli
1971
Menschen der Woche
2000
Die Drehscheibe
1964
Zum blauen Bock
1957

alfredissimo! Kochen mit Bio
1994
Midi trente
1972

Die Montagsmaler
1974

Discorama
1959
Samedi soir
1971

Die Feste mit Florian Silbereisen
1994
Willkommen bei Carmen Nebel
2004
Was bin ich?
1955
Système 2
1975

Verstehen Sie Spaß?
1980
Einer wird gewinnen
1964

Heut' abend
1980

Stars in the Ring
1959

Aktuelle Schaubude
1957
Wedden, dat..?
1986

Cadet Rousselle
1971

Auf los geht's los
1977
Gut gefragt ist halb gewonnen
1964

À bout portant
1968
Musik ist Trumpf
1975
Unsere kleine Show - Musik zur blauen Stunde
1969
Bio’s Bahnhof
1978
Der goldene Schuß
1964
Melodien für Millionen
1985

Music & Guests
1976

Starparade
1968
Unvergessene Legenden
2020
Musikalische Reise
2010

Am laufenden Band
1974
Europarty
1967
Peter Alexander präsentiert Spezialitäten
1969
Wünsch dir was
1969
Von uns für Sie
1966
Prominentenküche
1979
Servus, Hansi Hinterseer
2004
Vorhang auf
2004
Herzlichen Glückwunsch - Die Michael Schanze Jubiläumsgala
2005
Wie wär’s heut’ mit Revue?
1983
Die Ivan-Rebroff-Show
1972

The Gypsy Baron
1975

Das Lied der Balalaika
1971

L'homme qui venait du Cher
1969
Ein Sommer - ein Herbst
1964

Kleiner Mann was tun
1981
Cent ans de Folies Bergère
1971
Die schöne Helena
1975