Born in
Trofaiach, Prein first studied psychology, philosophy and pedagogy, before he turned to voice studies at the
Graz Musikhochschule in 1977, with Herma Handl-Wiedenhofer. He began his career as a concert singer and
lieder singer from 1979. In 1980, he made his stage debut in Krenek's
Jonny spielt auf at the
Theater an der Wien. Prein received international recognition when he first appeared at the
Bayreuth Festival in 1984, as Donner in
Der Ring des Nibelungen. He then became a member of the
Bern Opera, and moved in 1986 to the
Musiktheater im Revier in Gelsenkirchen, where his roles included Wagner in Busoni's
Doktor Faust. He appeared at the 1989
Salzburg Festival in a
concert version of Orff's
Antigonae. Prein became a member of the
Staatstheater Wiesbaden, where he performed in 1990 as Wotan in Wagner's
Das Rheingold and Pizarro in Beethoven's
Fidelio, in 1991 Sachs in Wagner's
Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, in 1993 the four demonic characters in Offenbach's
Hoffmanns Erzählungen, in 1995 Don Magnifico in Rossini's
La Cenerentola and in a concert performance Adahm in Rudi Stephan's
Die ersten Menschen, in 1996 Ramfis in Verdi's
Aida and Sarastro in Mozart's
Die Zauberflöte. In 1997, he appeared as Kottwitz in Henze's
Der Prinz von Homburg and Frank in Korngold's
Die tote Stadt. In a 1998 performance of the
Internationale Maifestspiele Wiesbaden, he performed Jochanaan in
Salome by Richard Strauss. Prein took part in the (late) premiere on 16 April 1994 of Erwin Schulhoff's complete
Flammen, translated to German by
Max Brod, in the role of the Commendatore. The concert performance at the Großer Sendesaal of the
SFB in Berlin, with
Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, was conducted by
John Mauceri. He performed as Robert in
Guntram by R. Strauss in Montpellier, and as the Doctor in Alban Berg's
Wozzeck at the Teatro Verdi in Triest in 1998. == Recordings ==