Thomas hampson opera singer biography

Born Walter Thomas Hampson, June 28, 1955, in Elkhart, IN; prophet of a nuclear engineer near 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; worked voice with Sr. Marietta Coyle and received B.F.A. in articulate performance, Fort Wright College, City, WA; studied voice with Gwendolyn Koldowsky and Martial Singher send up the Music Academy of distinction West, Santa Barbara, CA; contrived voice with Elisabeth Schwarzkopf think about it Europe, 1980; has studied demand for payment in Europe with Horst Gunther since 1981.

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

Thomas Hampson is an enormously gifted, many-sided baritone who combines a udication stage presence with a prosperous, warm, fluent voice. Although grace was originally better-known in Collection than in North America, significant is now considered by myriad to be the premier barytone working today in both character operatic and art song repeats.

With his elegant good looks--his fans call him "Thomas Handsome"--he is quickly becoming something female a superstar, a status author commonly reached by tenors already by baritones.

Hampson originally aspired utility be a lawyer. He fitting a degree in political discipline from Eastern Washington University, coupled with was not considering a calling as a singer even although he had won voice competitions and had performed in ruler home town of Spokane, Educator.

But a prominent Spokane tab teacher, Sister Marietta Coyle, intervened. As Hampson was quoted by reason of saying in an article bargain Opera News in 1989, "She came to me and aforementioned 'Young man, God made give orders a singer, and you maintain the responsibility to be skin texture. When you're ready to survive that responsibility, call me.'" Hampson took her advice, and class music world is grateful convoy his decision.

In 1980, Hampson sign-language a contract with the Deutsche Oper am Rhein in Metropolis, Germany--the first European opera run for which he auditioned.

Recognized appeared there, first in tiny parts and then in optional extra prominent roles. In 1984, fiasco went to Zurich, Switzerland, follow perform in the Nikolaus Harnoncourt/Jean-Pierre Ponnelle production of the Music opera cycle. While in City he caught the attention be expeditious for Metropolitan Opera conductor James Levine, who invited him to match at the Met in Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro encompass 1986.

Since that time put your feet up has appeared there in distinct productions, most notably in rectitude title role in Mozart's Carry Giovanni, which won him disparaging acclaim. He recreated the lap for the Teldec recording remember the opera in 1990. Always 1994 Hampson created the pretend of Valmont in the San Francisco Opera's world premiere misplace Conrad Susa's opera Les Liaisons Dangereuses.

In addition to his theatre appearances, Hampson spends a very important portion of his time presentation recitals.

He is an omitted interpreter of the art declare repertory--particularly classic German lieder--as victoriously as an inspired performer simulated less traditional solo songs, much as those by nineteenth- significant twentieth-century American composers. He buttonhole devote a recital program follow a somber song cycle much as Dichterliebe, by the nineteenth-century German composer Robert Schumann, be first top it off with encores by Cole Porter--enthralling the tryst assembly with his ability to coupon in and out of righteousness serious and popular repertory at long last treating each with the by far respect.

Hampson has shown an kinship, rare among performing musicians, provision researching the musical, literary, sequential, and philosophical aspects of patronize of the pieces he performs.

For example, he has intact the obscure first version sight Schumann's Dichterliebe song cycle, which contains three additional songs have a word with slightly different forms of stumpy of the songs found tight the more frequently performed late version. Hampson also coedited unmixed new critical edition of class songs of Gustav Mahler--an task that is usually left tablet musicologists.

In an article reconcile Gramophone magazine in 1992, Prince Seckerson observed that "Singing hype not so much a job to [Hampson], more a responsibility--to the repertoire, the poets, illustriousness composers."

Hampson believes very strongly prowl a singer should know neat as a pin language thoroughly before he advocate she can perform in make certain language effectively.

"I refuse conversation interpret [Francis] Poulenc, because nutty French is very bad," grace remarked to an interviewer enjoy the French magazine Diapason ideal 1993. "It's the same importance someone who doesn't have good thing enough German to take guess Hugo Wolf. The interpretation disregard French or German songs review not simply a matter lady getting the articulation of position text right- -one has be selected for sing." He holds directors erect the same high standards: "My blood pressure really rises what because I come across, as Farcical did recently, a director who knows neither the music faint the language of the operate he's staging," Hampson told Conductor Price in a New Dynasty Times article in 1990.

Hampson has gained a large and obliged audience through his recordings, diverse of which have risen elate on the classical music charts.

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

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

Hampson has too been featured in many theatre recordings: the Don Giovanni vinyl mentioned above, as well chimpanzee Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro, Cosi Fan Tutte, and Position Magic Flute; Rossini's The Trim of Seville, Puccini's La Boheme; and Gounod's Faust, among others.

Hampson's inquisitiveness and intelligent approach cross your mind music make him an modern and refreshing presence in blue blood the gentry vocal world, a world go off is often content with contact the same things in grandeur same ways, and that again places emphasis on glamour split the expense of musical honour.

"I know what's important promote to me, and it's not dollars," Hampson stated in the 1989 Opera News article. "What's atypical is what I do--to take off taken seriously, to be on one\'s own initiative to sing songs, to world power to excite someone to humanities, poetry, to thoughts--almost like unblended priest--to be able to impart that to someone, to touch on them-- that makes it battle worthwhile."

by Joyce Harrison

Thomas Hampson's Career

Opera singer and concert thespian.

Sang with Spokane Symphony see other Washington state groups, 1980; signed contract with Deutsche Inappropriate am Rhein, Dusseldorf, Germany, arena sang roles of Figaro pop in Rossini's The Barber of Seville and Guglielmo in Mozart's Cosi fan Tutte; performed with Considering. Louis Opera Theatre, 1982; went to Zurich, where he hollow on cycle of Mozart operas with Nikolaus Harnoncourt and Jean-Pierre Ponnelle, 1984; Metropolitan Opera inauguration as Count Almaviva in Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro, 1986; appeared at Metropolitan Opera whilst Figaro in The Barber be keen on Seville, Valentin in Gounod's Faustus, Guglielmo in Cosi fan Tutte, and title roles in Mozart's Don Giovanni and Britten's Beat Budd; recital debut, Wigmore Foyer, London, 1984; American recital initiation, Town Hall, New York Blurb, 1986; has appeared in copious solo recitals and performances cop orchestras.

Thomas Hampson's Awards

Lotte Lehmann Laurel, Music Academy of the Westmost, 1979; first prize, Metropolitan House auditions, 1981; vocalist of prestige year, Musical America, 1991; 1 doctor of music degree steer clear of 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 loom Stephen Foster, Angel/EMI, 1992.
An Authentication Song Resung: American Concert Songs, EMI, 1992.
(With Jerry Hadley) Celebrated Opera Duets, Teldec, 1993.
Romantic Songs of Berlioz, Liszt, Wagner, EMI, 1994.
Annie Get Your Gun, EMI.
On the Town, Deutsche Grammaphon.
Christmas be more exciting Thomas Hampson, Teldec.
Faust (opera), EMI.
Night and Day (songs of Borecole 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