 He started his career as a concert recitalist and singer.In 1928, he made his stage debut in Ernst Krenek's "Jonny spielt auf" in Paris, and in 1929 he sang for the first time in the United States in Noël Coward's "Bitter Sweet".From 1930 to 1933, he was active in Geneva, and then in Paris from 1934 to 1937.