The baritone Paul Schöffler (1897-1977) was one of the outstanding personalities of German and Austrian opera of the 20th century. His career lasted almost half a century, from his stage debut in Dresden in 1924 to his farewell performance at the Vienna State Opera in 1972. From 1937 to 1972 he was a permanent and celebrated member of the Vienna Opera House. Guest performances also took him to all major music centers in the world: from Bayreuth to Buenos Aires. Paul Schöffler possessed one of the most cultivated opera voices of the 20th century. His achievements in Italian and German from Verdi to Wagner are recognized as outstanding. The present album contains recordings from more than two and a half decades, from the beginning of the 30s to the year 1957. They show the portrait of a singer who always remained true to himself. Splendid vocal technique and performance always went hand in hand with Schöffler. A true grandmaster!