Born in
Pirna, he first studied the
horn, then voice with Harry Schwickardi at the
Hochschule für Musik Carl Maria von Weber in Dresden. He made his debut in 1965 at the as the sacristan in Puccini's
Tosca. From 1970, he was a member of the
Leipzig Opera, singing also at the
Semperoper and the
Komische Oper Berlin. He took part in premieres, including in 1969 performing in the Dresden premiere of the opera
Maître Pathelin oder Die Hammelkomödie by
Rainer Kunad, and in 1976
Josef Tal's
Die Versuchung at the
Bavarian State Opera. From 1977 he was a member of the
Cologne Opera. He appeared at major European opera houses as a guest, including the
National Theatre in Prague, the
National Theatre Brno, at
La Scala in Milan, where he made his debut in 1974 as Hunding in Wagner's
Die Walküre, at the
Teatro La Fenice in Venice and at the festival
Internationale Maifestspiele Wiesbaden. In both 1978 and 1980, he appeared at the
Glyndebourne Festival as Sarastro in Mozart's
Die Zauberflöte. In concert, Thomaschke sang in 1975 at the
Vienna Festival the bass part in Beethoven's
Missa solemnis. He performed
Ein Deutsches Requiem by Brahms and Haydn's
Die Schöpfung. In 1975 he recorded Bach's
Mass in B minor with the
Dresdner Kreuzchor, conducted by
Martin Flämig. He recorded
Bach cantatas with
Nikolaus Harnoncourt in 1982, including
Mit Fried und Freud ich fahr dahin, BWV 125. He taught voice at the
Musikhochschule Lübeck and in master classes. == Awards ==