Albin Swoboda, Jr.

Who was Albin Swoboda, Jr.?

Albin Swoboda, Jr. was a German operatic bass-baritone. Born in Dresden, he was the son of tenor and actor Albin Swoboda, Sr. and soprano Friederike Fischer; both of whom were luminaries of the "Golden Age" of Viennese operetta. His grandfather, Joseph Wilhelm Swoboda, also had an important career as a tenor and opera director in Vienna. In 1910 he became romantically involved with opera singer Anna Sutter. Sutter had broken off a relationship with conductor Aloys Obrist around the same time, and Obrist became highly distraut by the situation. On 29 June 1910, Obrist broke into Sutter's apartment, murdered her, and committed suicide in the presence of Swoboda who was unable to stop him.