Kurt Böhme studied singing at the Dresden Conservatory with Adolf Kluge and made his operatic stage debut in 1930 at Bautzen as The Hermit / Der Freischütz. Shortly afterwards he joined the ensemble of the Dresden State Opera, making his debut there as Fafner / Das Rheingold and remaining as a stalwart member of the company for the twenty years up to 1950. He took part in several important world premieres and created the roles of Count Dominik / Arabella (1933) and Vanuzzi / Die schweigsame Frau (1935) (later becoming a distinguished interpreter of the central role of Sir Morosus), both by Richard Strauss. Other first performances at Dresden in which he participated included Münchhausen by Mark Lothar (1933), Der Gün...