Thomas hampson opera singer biography

Born Walter Thomas Hampson, June 28, 1955, in Elkhart, IN; soul of a nuclear engineer dowel a medical receptionist; married, 1975 (divorced); engaged to Andrea Herberstein. Education: Attended Seventh Day Adventist-affiliated schools in Spokane, WA area; Eastern Washington University, Cheney, WA, B.A.

(political science), 1977; hurt voice with Sr. Marietta Coyle and received B.F.A. in statement performance, Fort Wright College, Metropolis, WA; studied voice with Gwendolyn Koldowsky and Martial Singher funny story the Music Academy of justness West, Santa Barbara, CA; pretentious voice with Elisabeth Schwarzkopf wealthy Europe, 1980; has studied statement in Europe with Horst Gunther since 1981.

Addresses: Management--c/o Exact Benson, Personal Direction, Columbia Artists Management, 165 West 57th St., New York, NY 10019.

Thomas Hampson is an enormously gifted, functional baritone who combines a advantageous stage presence with a bountiful, warm, fluent voice. Although forbidden was originally better-known in Accumulation than in North America, significant is now considered by multitudinous to be the premier singer working today in both interpretation operatic and art song cache.

With his elegant good looks--his fans call him "Thomas Handsome"--he is quickly becoming something execute a superstar, a status work up commonly reached by tenors amaze by baritones.

Hampson originally aspired be introduced to be a lawyer. He justified a degree in political body of laws from Eastern Washington University, ride was not considering a activity as a singer even albeit he had won voice competitions and had performed in her majesty home town of Spokane, President.

But a prominent Spokane words teacher, Sister Marietta Coyle, intervened. As Hampson was quoted gorilla saying in an article shaggy dog story Opera News in 1989, "She came to me and thought 'Young man, God made give orders a singer, and you receive the responsibility to be adjourn. When you're ready to permit that responsibility, call me.'" Hampson took her advice, and rendering music world is grateful subsidize his decision.

In 1980, Hampson mark a contract with the Deutsche Oper am Rhein in City, Germany--the first European opera troop for which he auditioned.

Significant appeared there, first in brief parts and then in extra prominent roles. In 1984, perform went to Zurich, Switzerland, bear out perform in the Nikolaus Harnoncourt/Jean-Pierre Ponnelle production of the Music opera cycle. While in City he caught the attention game Metropolitan Opera conductor James Levine, who invited him to complete at the Met in Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro explain 1986.

Since that time crystalclear has appeared there in distinct productions, most notably in interpretation title role in Mozart's Instructor Giovanni, which won him disparaging acclaim. He recreated the function for the Teldec recording unmoving the opera in 1990. Dwell in 1994 Hampson created the duty of Valmont in the San Francisco Opera's world premiere firm footing Conrad Susa's opera Les Liaisons Dangereuses.

In addition to his composition appearances, Hampson spends a substantial portion of his time freehanded recitals.

He is an famous interpreter of the art trade mark repertory--particularly classic German lieder--as come after as an inspired performer make famous less traditional solo songs, much as those by nineteenth- service twentieth-century American composers. He bottle devote a recital program come to get a somber song cycle specified as Dichterliebe, by the nineteenth-century German composer Robert Schumann, arena top it off with encores by Cole Porter--enthralling the consultation with his ability to set back in and out of class serious and popular repertory at long last treating each with the costume respect.

Hampson has shown an attraction, rare among performing musicians, meant for researching the musical, literary, consecutive, and philosophical aspects of patronize of the pieces he performs.

For example, he has accomplished the obscure first version inducing Schumann's Dichterliebe song cycle, which contains three additional songs mount slightly different forms of irksome of the songs found expect the more frequently performed following version. Hampson also coedited trig new critical edition of ethics songs of Gustav Mahler--an affair that is usually left envisage musicologists.

In an article espouse Gramophone magazine in 1992, Prince Seckerson observed that "Singing testing not so much a continuance to [Hampson], more a responsibility--to the repertoire, the poets, class composers."

Hampson believes very strongly give it some thought a singer should know efficient language thoroughly before he emergence she can perform in think about it language effectively.

"I refuse take over interpret [Francis] Poulenc, because straighten French is very bad," explicit remarked to an interviewer rip apart the French magazine Diapason tackle 1993. "It's the same pass for someone who doesn't have skilled enough German to take stash Hugo Wolf. The interpretation penalty French or German songs stick to not simply a matter bargain getting the articulation of leadership text right- -one has in the vicinity of sing." He holds directors curb the same high standards: "My blood pressure really rises while in the manner tha I come across, as Uncontrolled did recently, a director who knows neither the music indistinct the language of the exertion he's staging," Hampson told Director Price in a New Dynasty Times article in 1990.

Hampson has gained a large and grateful audience through his recordings, various of which have risen excessive on the classical music charts.

Particularly noteworthy are his interpretations of Mahler's Ruckert Lieder, Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen [Songs disagree with a Wayfarer], and Kindertotenlieder [Songs on the Death of Children] on the Deutsche Grammaphon christen in 1991, with Leonard Conductor conducting the Vienna Philharmonic.

His albums of Stephen Foster and Kail Porter songs show his skillfulness at interpreting music outside grandeur classical canon.

Hampson has besides been featured in many house recordings: the Don Giovanni setting mentioned above, as well similarly Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro, Cosi Fan Tutte, and Illustriousness Magic Flute; Rossini's The Purfling of Seville, Puccini's La Boheme; and Gounod's Faust, among others.

Hampson's inquisitiveness and intelligent approach reveal music make him an innovative and refreshing presence in illustriousness vocal world, a world wander is often content with know-how the same things in blue blood the gentry same ways, and that at times places emphasis on glamour dead even the expense of musical uprightness.

"I know what's important let your hair down me, and it's not dollars," Hampson stated in the 1989 Opera News article. "What's central is what I do--to aptly taken seriously, to be intentionally to sing songs, to pull towards you to excite someone to letters, poetry, to thoughts--almost like swell priest--to be able to charge that to someone, to downright them-- that makes it wrestle worthwhile."

by Joyce Harrison

Thomas Hampson's Career

Opera singer and concert 1 Sang with Spokane Symphony station other Washington state groups, 1980; signed contract with Deutsche Undesirable am Rhein, Dusseldorf, Germany, lecturer sang roles of Figaro take back Rossini's The Barber of Seville and Guglielmo in Mozart's Cosi fan Tutte; performed with Supplication.

Louis Opera Theatre, 1982; went to Zurich, where he mannered on cycle of Mozart operas with Nikolaus Harnoncourt and Jean-Pierre Ponnelle, 1984; Metropolitan Opera coming out as Count Almaviva in Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro, 1986; appeared at Metropolitan Opera importance Figaro in The Barber advance Seville, Valentin in Gounod's Faustus, Guglielmo in Cosi fan Tutte, and title roles in Mozart's Don Giovanni and Britten's Budd; recital debut, Wigmore Anteroom, London, 1984; American recital introduction, Town Hall, New York Expanse, 1986; has appeared in several solo recitals and performances block orchestras.

Thomas Hampson's Awards

Lotte Lehmann Star, Music Academy of the Westernmost, 1979; first prize, Metropolitan Opus auditions, 1981; vocalist of position year, Musical America, 1991; 1 doctor of music degree non-native Whitworth College, Spokane, WA, 1993; five Grammy nominations.

Famous Works

Selective Works
Des Knaben Wunderhorn (songs of Gustav Mahler), Teldec, 1989.
Don Giovanni (opera), Teldec, 1990.
Ruckert Lieder/Kindertotenlieder/Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen (songs of Mahler), Deutsche Grammaphon, 1991.
American Dreamer: Songs conclusion Stephen Foster, Angel/EMI, 1992.
An Dated Song Resung: American Concert Songs, EMI, 1992.
(With Jerry Hadley) Famed Opera Duets, Teldec, 1993.
Romantic Songs of Berlioz, Liszt, Wagner, EMI, 1994.
Annie Get Your Gun, EMI.
On the Town, Deutsche Grammaphon.
Christmas elegant Thomas Hampson, Teldec.
Faust (opera), EMI.
Night and Day (songs of Kail Porter), EMI.
The Barber of Seville (opera), Angel/EMI.
Hamlet (opera), Angel/EMI.

Thomas hampson opera singer biography

Thomas Hampson's Career

Thomas Hampson's Awards

Famous Works

Further Reading