René Kollo was born in November 1937 in Berlin. His father Willi Kollo and his grandfather Walter Kollo had successful musical careers as composers and librettists in Berlin from the 1920s through the 1950s.

Although René Kollo initially planned a career as a cameraman, photographer or actor, he soon followed in the family’s musical footsteps as a drummer in a band. In 1961, he had his first hit with the German version of "Hello, Mary Lou." In the mid-1960s, however, his voice teacher Elsa Varena recognized his talent and encouraged him to make the switch to opera. In 1969, René Kollo debuted at the Richard Wagner Festival in Bayreuth. As a Wagnerian tenor, he went on to become a star. Over the years, he has worked with many of the world's legendary conductors, including Herbert von Karajan, Leonard Bernstein and Georg Solti. But his career success took a personal toll—the father of four children, he’s been divorced twice. Between rehearsals and performances, he’s often filled his time with writing and is a published author. His works include an autobiography, a book on German history and an upcoming mystery novel.