After making an iconic debut on East Village club stages, the BBC’s “The Old Grey Whistle Test,” and “Saturday Night Live,” the theatrical German new wave artist Klaus Nomi passed away in 1983, an early victim of AIDS. The disease, poorly understood and deeply feared at the time, alienated Nomi’s friends, leading to his isolated demise and subsequent decline in recognition. In a 1994 article for Attitude magazine, writer Rupert Smith claimed Nomi had been “largely forgotten,” and argued for a reevaluation of his contributions, noting that Nomi “remains rock music’s queerest exponent,” outshining many who followed.
However, in more recent years, Nomi has experienced a resurgence in popularity. As noted by LD Beghtol in The Village Voice, “the underground punk-opera singer was mostly unknown beyond his small circle” and stood apart from the mainstream appeal of his contemporaries. Gifted with a unique voice that combined a deep Weimar croon with a soaring falsetto, Nomi’s career options were limited. Known then as Klaus Sperber, he worked at the Berlin Opera during the late Sixties, entrancing colleagues with opera arias post-performances, despite lacking professional training.
Performing live, Nomi’s incredible voice—compelling even within his cabaret persona of heavy makeup and a distinctive triangulated hairline—amazed audiences. During his debut at New Wave Vaudeville in 1978, his rendition of Camille Saint-Saëns’ “Mon cœur s’ouvre à ta voix” from Samson et Dalila left audiences spellbound. Music Director Kristian Hoffman would often assure spectators post-performance that Nomi’s voice wasn’t a recording due to its otherworldly quality.
His remarkable talent caught the attention of luminaries like David Bowie, who featured Nomi as a backup singer on “Saturday Night Live” in 1979. Nomi’s day job as a pastry chef contrasted sharply with his stage persona, where he unleashed his falsetto adorned in futuristic, shiny outfits. “Every song,” writes Pitchfork, “included dramatic multiple shifts in octave, where Klaus would effortlessly hit extreme highs and lows, accentuated by his expressive gestures and wide-eyed gazes.”
Nomi’s blend of opera-infused synth-pop and avant-garde performances—dubbed the “Klaus Nomi Show”—earned him a cult following in New York’s art scene. Posthumously, his work has finally achieved the broader recognition it deserves. Nomi’s dedication to opera wasn’t merely a gimmick, but a true passion that showcased undeniable talent. His final performances, including Henry Purcell’s “Cold Genius” from King Arthur, have been lauded as among the most memorable in operatic—and arguably pop music—history.
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