Manfred Hemm (born 1961) is an Austrian opera singer who has sung leading bass-baritone roles in the opera houses of Europe and North America. His discography includes Papageno in The Magic Flute for Deutsche Grammophon and the bass soloist in Franz Schmidt's oratorio Das Buch Mit Sieben Siegeln for Chandos. He created the role of Der Stadtrichter in Friedrich Cerha's Der Rattenfänger (1987) and the title role in Gottfried von Einem's Der Tulifant (1990) in their world premieres. [1]
Hemm was born in Mödling, Austria, and studied at the Vienna Conservatory. [2] He made his debut in 1984 at the Stadttheater Klagenfurt as Figaro in The Marriage of Figaro . From 1984 to 1987 he sang regularly at the Opernhaus Graz and Theater Augsburg, specialising in Mozartean roles. Major house debuts followed at the Bayreuth Festival in 1987, the Vienna State Opera in 1988, and the Metropolitan Opera in 1991. [1] [3] [4]
Amongst his later roles is Rocco in Fidelio which he has sung at the Santa Fe Opera Festival (2014), the Maggio Musicale (2015), and the Teatro Colón (2016). [5] [6] [7]
Hemm was formerly married to the English soprano Amanda Roocroft. [8]
Christa Ludwig was a German mezzo-soprano and sometime dramatic soprano, distinguished for her performances of opera, lieder, oratorio, and other major religious works like masses, passions, and solos in symphonic literature. Her performing career spanned almost half a century, from the late 1940s until the early 1990s.
Sir Geraint Llewellyn Evans CBE was a Welsh bass-baritone noted for operatic roles including Figaro in Le nozze di Figaro, Papageno in Die Zauberflöte, and the title role in Wozzeck. Evans was especially acclaimed for his performances in the title role of Verdi's Falstaff. He sang more than 70 different roles in a career that lasted from his first appearance at Covent Garden in 1948 to his farewell there in 1984.
Thomas Walter Hampson is an American lyric baritone, a classical singer who has appeared world-wide in major opera houses and concert halls and made over 170 musical recordings.
Walter Berry was an Austrian lyric bass-baritone who enjoyed a prominent career in opera. He has been cited as one of several exemplary operatic bass-baritones of his era.
Joseph, Baron Van Damme, known as José van Dam, is a Belgian bass-baritone, described as having "a magnificent resonant and expressive voice" and being "an excellent actor".
Theo Adam was a German operatic bass-baritone and bass singer who had an international career in opera, concert and recital from 1949. He was a member of the Staatsoper Dresden for his entire career, and sang at the Bayreuth Festival from 1952 to 1980. He particularly excelled in portraying roles by Richard Wagner, especially Wotan in Der Ring des Nibelungen, which he also performed at the Metropolitan Opera, among others. In concert, he was a much admired Bach singer and also drew acclaim for his interpretation of the title character of Mendelssohn's Elijah. He was a voice teacher at the Musikhochschule Dresden.
Otto Schenk is an Austrian actor, and theater and opera director.
Bernd Weikl is an Austrian operatic baritone, particularly known for his performances in the stage works by Richard Wagner. He also has written books and directed operas.
Elisabeth Höngen was a German operatic mezzo-soprano and singing-actress. She was particularly associated with Richard Wagner and Richard Strauss roles, and with Verdi's Lady Macbeth. From 1947 onward she was one of the Vienna State Opera's most prominent artists for nearly 30 years.
Fritz Uhl was an Austrian operatic tenor, particularly associated with Wagner roles.
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Melitta Muszely was an Austrian operatic soprano and a voice teacher. She made a career based in Germany, mainly at the Hamburg State Opera with guest contracts to the Komische Oper Berlin and the Vienna State Opera, among others. She took part in world premieres, and performed internationally in Europe. She appeared as all four female characters in Offenbach's Hoffmanns Erzählungen in the legendary 1958 production by Walter Felsenstein, and sang recitals until 2008.
Manfred Jungwirth was an Austrian opera singer in the bass vocal range.
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Kieth Engen was an American operatic bass who was a member of Munich's Bavarian State Opera for decades. Although his career was based in Munich, he appeared internationally as a guest singer at major opera houses and festivals and performed and recorded many of Bach's Passion oratorios and cantatas, primarily with the conductor Karl Richter. He was born Keith Sheldon Engen in Frazee, Minnesota, and died in Murnau am Staffelsee, Germany at the age of 79. He was given the title of Kammersänger in 1962 and was a recipient of the Bavarian Order of Merit. In the mid-1950s he also had a brief parallel career as a pop singer under the pseudonym Stan Oliver.
Hans Braun was an Austrian operatic baritone. He was a long-term member of the Vienna State Opera and appeared in leading roles such as Mozart's Count Almaviva and Wagner's Wolfram, including in major European opera houses and festivals.
Hermann Wiedemann was a German operatic baritone and academic teacher. He was a long-term member of the Imperial Court Opera in Vienna from 1916, where he appeared as Faninal in Der Rosenkavalier by Richard Strauss 196 times, and as Beckmesser in Wagner's Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg 155 times. He was Beckmesser also in a recording from the Salzburg Festival 1937, conducted by Arturo Toscanini. He performed internationally at leading opera houses and festivals, such as the Teatro Colón of Buenos Aires and the Zoppoter Festspiele. He appeared in the world premieres of Wolf-Ferrari's I gioielli della Madonna in Berlin, Busoni's Die Brautwahl in Hamburg, and Lehár's Giuditta in Vienna.
William Wernigk was an Austrian operatic tenor, who was a member of the ensemble of the Vienna State Opera for 44 years, in roles such as Pedrillo in Mozart's Die Entführung aus dem Serail and Monostatos in Die Zauberflöte, Cassio in Verdi's Otello and Goro in Puccini's Madama Butterfly, as well as many comprimario roles. He appeared as a guest around Europe and performed at the Salzburg Festival both in concert and on stage, taking part in the world premiere of Gottfried von Einem's Dantons Tod there in 1947. He performed in early complete opera recordings such as Der Rosenkavalier by Strauss with Robert Heger in 1933, and Mozart's Die Zauberflöte with Arturo Toscanini in 1937.
Gottfried Hornik is an Austrian operatic baritone and voice teacher. He was a member of the Vienna State Opera for 25 years and appeared worldwide in leading roles. His signature role was Beckmesser in Wagner's Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg. He was awarded the title of an Austrian Kammersänger.
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