Rebroff was born in Spandau, Berlin The son of a German father and a Russian-born mother. He grew up in Belzig and Halle (Saale). His real name was Hans-Rolf Rippert, but later took the stage name Ivan Rebroff. He was a member of the renowned Boys Choir Stadtsingechor zu Halle. Rebroff studied from 1951 to 1959 song at the music conservatory in Hamburg. 1958 he became a singer by the two German choir, which was inspired by Russian folk music. Rebroff got his big break in 1968.