On 13 Sep 1785, the bass Ludwig Fischer made a guest appearance as Osmin in a performance in Frankfurt of Mozart’s Die Entführung aus dem Serail by the theatrical company of Gustav Friedrich Wilhelm Großmann (on Großmann, see our entry for 22 Jun 1783). Fischer had created the role in the original production of Entführung in Vienna, and Mozart composed Osmin specifically with Fischer in mind. Just two weeks before Fischer’s guest appearance in Frankfurt, he had appeared as Osmin in Mannheim (see our entry for 31 Aug 1785, which includes biographical information on Fischer).

Großmann’s company had given the Frankfurt premiere of Entführung on 2 Aug 1783 (see our entry for that date). The performance on 13 Sep 1785 was the fifth of the opera in Frankfurt, all by Großmann’s company. Although Großmann’s cast for Entführung in Frankfurt is not directly documented, it is likely that the role of Osmin had previously been taken by Herr Pleissner [possibly Heinrich Christian}, nominally a tenor, who probably would not have sung the role as originally written. Thus Fischer’s guest appearance may have been the Frankfurt public’s first opportunity to hear the role in its original form.

Fischer’s guest appearance as Osmin in Frankfurt is also noted in the Theater-Kalender for 1786.