Michael Weinius (born 1 March 1971 in Stockholm) [1] is a Swedish operatic tenor. After winning first prize at the 2008 international Wagner competition in Seattle, Weinius has quickly established himself as one of Europe's most sought after tenors.
Michael Weinius (born 1 March 1971 in Stockholm) [1] is a Swedish operatic tenor. After winning first prize at the 2008 international Wagner competition in Seattle, Weinius has quickly established himself as one of Europe's most sought after tenors.
Weinius received his first musical training at the Adolf Fredrik's Music School in Stockholm and then studied at the University College of Opera in Stockholm, receiving his exam in 1995. He made his international debut as a baritone in the role of Guglielmo in Così fan tutte and quickly became a regular guest at the Swedish opera houses in roles such as Renato/Greve Holberg in Un ballo in maschera , Posa in Don Carlos and Marcello in La bohème . [2]
In 2004 Weinius switched his fach to tenor and made his debut in the role of Laca ( Jenůfa ) at NorrlandsOperan in Umeå. During his first year as a tenor he was engaged to sing Don José ( Carmen ) in concert with the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra under Marc Soustrot, Loge ( Das Rheingold ) in concert with the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra and Kent Nagano, and Sergej ( Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District ) at the Värmland Opera in Karlstad, Sweden. These initial triumphs as a tenor led to a row of role debuts, such as Riccardo/Gustav III ( Un ballo in maschera ), Dick Johnson ( La fanciulla del West ) and Herod ( Salome ), Turiddu ( Cavalleria rusticana ) and Siegmund ( Die Walküre ), Cavaradossi ( Tosca ), Don José again and the title role in Otello . [2]
In early 2007 Weinius sang his first Parsifal in Karlstad Cathedral when the Värmland Opera presented its acclaimed production. Thereafter Weinius established himself as a sought after interpreter of this role. He sang Parsifal in Mannheim in the spring of 2008, secured his victory in the international Wagner competition in Seattle in 2008 by singing excerpts from Parsifal, and has since performed it on a number of international stages including Deutsche Oper am Rhein in Düsseldorf and the Finnish National Opera in Helsingfors.
In December 2008 Weinius participated in the first performance of Batseba by Sven-David Sandström, commissioned by the Royal Swedish Opera in Stockholm, in the role of King David written especially with Weinius in mind. Other recent performances in Sweden include the title role in Peter Grimes , Alfred ( Die Fledermaus ), the kings Charles IV and Ferdinand VII in Daniel Börtz' opera Goya, the title role in Verdi's Otello and Siegmund in Die Walküre. [2]
In autumn 2010 Weinius made his debut at the Opéra Bastille in Paris in the role of Hans Schwalb in Hindemith's Mathis der Maler under the conductor Christoph Eschenbach. In the spring of 2012 he sang for the first time the title role in Wagner's Lohengrin at the Royal Swedish Opera in Stockholm. [2] In September 2015 he sang in the premiere of Notorious at the Göteborg Opera. [3]
In 2013 Weinius has made his debut at i.a. the Deutsche Oper Berlin in the title role in Lohengrin and at the Bavarian State Opera in the title role in Parsifal . He participate in a Wagner gala with the Staatskapelle Dresden under director Christian Thielemann. Weinius is also heavily engaged as concert singer and has performed under directors such as Gustavo Dudamel, Alan Gilbert, Leif Segerstam, Jukka-Pekka Saraste, Kent Nagano, Pinchas Steinberg, Pier Giorgio Morandi and Marc Soustrot. [2]
Lauritz Melchior was a Danish-American opera singer. He was the preeminent Wagnerian heldentenor of the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s and has come to be considered the quintessence of his voice type. Late in his career, Melchior appeared in movie musicals and on radio and television. He also made numerous recordings.
Johan Jonatan "Jussi" Björling was a Swedish tenor. One of the leading operatic singers of the 20th century, Björling appeared for many years at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City and less frequently at the major European opera houses, including the Royal Opera House in London and La Scala in Milan. He sang the Italian, French and Russian opera repertory with taste.
Märta Birgit Nilsson was a Swedish dramatic soprano. Although she sang a wide repertoire of operatic and vocal works, Nilsson was best known for her performances in the operas of Richard Wagner and Richard Strauss. Her voice was noted for its overwhelming force, bountiful reserves of power, and the gleaming brilliance and clarity in the upper register.
Leopoldine Rysanek was an Austrian dramatic soprano.
Jonathan Stewart Vickers,, known professionally as Jon Vickers, was a Canadian heldentenor.
A heldentenor, earlier called tenorbariton, is an operatic tenor voice, most often associated with Wagnerian repertoire.
Ramón Vinay was a famous Chilean operatic tenor with a powerful, dramatic voice. He is probably best remembered for his appearances in the title role of Giuseppe Verdi's tragic opera Otello.
Wolfgang Windgassen was a German heldentenor internationally known for his performances in Wagner operas.
Gösta Winbergh was a Swedish tenor.
Audrey Clare Schuh was an American operatic soprano.
Simon John O'Neill is a New Zealand-born operatic tenor. In 1998, his image appeared on the New Zealand one-dollar performing arts postage stamp.
Ticho Parly was a Danish-born Heldentenor who sang leading roles in most of the major opera houses of Europe as well as the United States, including the Metropolitan Opera, where he debuted in 1966 as Tristan opposite Birgit Nilsson in Tristan und Isolde.
Torsten Ralf was a Swedish operatic tenor, particularly associated with Wagner and Strauss roles, one of the leading dramatic tenors/heldentenors of the inter-war period.
Bernd Aldenhoff was a German Heldentenor.
Set Svanholm was a Swedish operatic tenor, considered the leading Tristan and Siegfried of the first decade following World War II.
Nina Maria Stemme is a Swedish dramatic soprano opera singer.
Joseph Hislop was a Scottish lyric tenor who appeared in opera and oratorio and gave concerts around the world. He sang at La Scala, Milan, the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London, and the Opéra-Comique, Paris, as well as forging a remarkable career in Denmark and Sweden, where he was made a Knight of the Dannebrog and a Knight of the Order of Vasa. He toured America, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand on several occasions and made a large number of recordings, some of which are available on CD re-issues. Hislop is notable for having been the final teacher of the Swedish tenor Jussi Björling and for developing a number of fine British singers through his post-War work at the Guildhall School of Music and at Sadler's Wells. After retiring to Fife, he taught the Scottish baritone Donald Maxwell.
Jean Madeira, née Jean Browning was an American contralto, particularly known for her work in late-romantic German repertoire such as the operas of Richard Wagner and Richard Strauss.
Nicola Moscona was a Greek-born operatic bass. Born in Athens, he made his stage debut in Il barbiere di Siviglia at the Greek National Opera in 1931, and went on to sing leading basso cantante roles both in Europe and the United States.
Ingrid Margareta Tobiasson is a Swedish mezzo-soprano opera singer. Her principal roles in an extremely versatile career include the title role in Bizet's Carmen and Elisabetta in Donizetti's Maria Stuarda.
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
