Sigmar Solbach enrolled in the upper school at Steinm\u00fchle Boarding School in 1963 because he wanted to do better in his studies. He did so of his own accord. His parents were separated, and his mother had a new partner. \u2014 From his perspective, this was not a foundation for a successful academic career. <\/p>\n
The young man from the village of Rothem\u00fchle in South Westphalia already knew what he wanted to be when he arrived: an actor. The theater production at the Steinm\u00fchle got off to a flying start shortly thereafter. The driving force behind it all: Sigmar Solbach. <\/p>\n
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“A largely carefree time”<\/strong><\/p>\n It turned out to be a largely cheerful look back\u2014before, during, and after the reading. Several classmates from back then gathered at the Steinm\u00fchlenforum, and more than once someone would say, \u201cDo you remember\u2026?\u201d\u2014They looked at old photos and shared anecdotes. – That\u2019s exactly how you\u2019d imagine a class reunion after 60 years. <\/p>\n “It was a happy and mostly carefree time,” the actor recalls of his years at Steinm\u00fchle Boarding School.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Solbach was one of 500\u2014and he played Faust<\/strong><\/p>\n When Solbach had \u201ca decent high school diploma\u201d under his belt in 1966 and his dream of becoming an actor was still very much alive, his stepfather remained skeptical. \u201cHe was willing to support just one attempt at a drama school.\u201d This narrow path and the enormous pressure of auditioning as one of 500 applicants at the Westf\u00e4lische Schauspielschule in Bochum apparently unleashed every conceivable ounce of energy in Sigmar Solbach. He received the only acceptance\u2014because he performed well in a role that no one had dared to take on before: Faust. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Respect for High Standards<\/strong><\/p>\n Sigmar Solbach felt a sense of relief. He was able to put his career Plan B\u2014becoming a goalkeeper on the national soccer team\u2014aside. <\/p>\n Solbach’s acting solved some problems, but it also created new challenges. In the eyes of his stepfather, he went from being a “good-for-nothing” to someone who was slowly making something of himself. <\/p>\n What no one saw: The hardships on the way to the top, financial struggles, and the student dorm without a shower; the need to earn money temporarily as a cosmetics sales representative; the poor credit rating as a freelancer; the respect for one or another great director and the expectations that came with it. For example, \u201c\u2026in front of the great Fritz Umgelter\u201d: <\/p>\n <\/p>\n “First I was afraid of horses\u2014then I rode like the devil”<\/strong><\/p>\n He was told to get crowns on his healthy incisors because they were just a tiny bit crooked. And he had to learn to ride\u2014that was the condition for the role he was being considered for. Against his better judgment, he went to the dentist; despite his fear of horses, he took riding lessons. \u201cAnd you won\u2019t believe it\u2014neither did I\u2014but in the end, I was riding like the devil.\u201d <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hamlet as a Mark of Distinction<\/strong><\/p>\n The recurring question he asked himself\u2014\u201cWill I be up to the task?\u201d\u2014was a recurring theme not only at the start of Solbach\u2019s career. Later, when the man with a penchant for theatrical roles was appearing primarily in television series, Solbach defined his own personal challenges. After portraying Hamlet\u2014”arguably the most difficult theater role”\u2014he undertook three successful transatlantic crossings on a sailing yacht, which took their toll: little sleep, a great deal of skill, and complete concentration. <\/p>\n Proving himself, pushing himself to the limit, testing his boundaries, and seeing things through to the end\u2014that\u2019s what Sigmar Solbach stands for above all else. How insignificant, then, are the kissing and bedroom scenes from TV series for which\u2014according to his wife\u2019s standard response\u2014\u201che was, in any case, well paid.\u201d <\/p>\n No, he doesn\u2019t take the characters he plays home with him, Solbach explained during a Q&A session following his reading. And he admits, \u201c\u2026that a successful career depends on many pieces of the puzzle.\u201d He also says he\u2019s been lucky. Judging by everything he\u2019s said, however, that luck seems to have been rather limited. Angela Heinemann<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n
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