Boris Carmeli
Boris Carmeli | |
---|---|
Born | Norbert Wolfinger 23 April 1928[1] Obertyn, Poland |
Died | 31 July 2009 Bern, Switzerland | (aged 81)
Occupation | Operatic bass |
Boris Carmeli (23 April 1928 – 31 July 2009) was a Polish operatic basso profondo known for his "fervent rich hued tones"[2] and extensive repertory of more than 70 operas and 60 oratorios.[3] During his long career, he appeared regularly at La Scala in Milan and other major opera houses internationally. In addition to the classical bass repertoire, he performed contemporary music including major works by Krzysztof Penderecki[4] and Karlheinz Stockhausen.[5] He appeared at international music festivals, on Italian television, and in many opera films.[3]
Early life
Carmeli was born Norbert Wolfinger to Hermann and Rachel Wolfinger in Obertyn, Poland, in 1928. His older brother Pinkas (later Peter Carmeli) was born in 1921. Believing that Germany had an economic future, the family emigrated to Magdeburg in 1932. Hermann moved first and found work in the textile business. His wife and sons joined him later.[6]
From January 1933, under the Nazi regime, the
In 1940, the German Army attacked Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. Once again, the family escaped, taking flight to France, then Italy, where they lived in a series of increasingly remote mountain villages. Roundups of Jews in the region began in September 1943. Suffering from an earache, Carmeli, then 15 years of age, descended into the town of
Carmeli spent nearly two years in Auschwitz. As the
After the War
Following World War II, Carmeli, pretending to be French, was repatriated to Paris. By chance, he met a cousin there and with her help was able to rejoin his parents and brother. They had survived the war by hiding in Rome; his mother and father were living there still.
In 1950, he received two offers for study abroad. Mezzo-soprano Jennie Tourel, for whom he had auditioned, invited him to New York. The second offer, won in a competition among 300 Israeli singers, was an opportunity to study in Milan. He chose the Italian option and set off with $400 from his father. The money was to last him a year, but a year was not long enough to establish an opera career.[6]
With the help of Astorre Mayer, paper mill owner and the
Carmeli studied bel canto with Ubaldo Carrozzo and Giovanni Binetti in Milan, then at the Conservatorio Rossini in Pesaro, and finally with Maria Cascioli in Rome.[1][8]
Career
Carmeli made his professional debut in 1956 at a music festival in Bologna's Arena Faenza. He performed the role of the philosopher Colline in Puccini's La bohème.[8] Impressed, leading Italian opera conductor Tullio Serafin brought the singer to La Scala in Milan.[3]
Carmeli went on to perform in world-renowned opera houses with most of the leading conductors of his day, including Herbert von Karajan, Zubin Mehta, Leonard Bernstein, Riccardo Muti, Lorin Maazel, John Barbirolli, Yehudi Menuhin and Mstislav Rostropovich.[3] In publicity photos made at La Scala and other venues, he is shown in the roles of Sarastro in Mozart's Die Zauberflöte, Galitsky and Khan Konchak from Borodin's Prince Igor, Marcello in Meyerbeer's Les Huguenots, and Leporello in Mozart's Don Giovanni. He appeared at La Scala in Mozart's Great Mass in C minor in 1960 and in Schönberg's Die Jakobsleiter in 1962.[8]In 1969, he is Narbal in Les Troyens conducted by Georges Prêtre.
In
In 1997, Carmeli premiered the narrator role in Penderecki's
Carmeli was a frequent guest artist at international music festivals such as
He sang on Italian television and starred in a number of opera films, including Puccini's Turandot with Birgit Nilsson from La Scala, The Life of Puccini, and Rossini's La scala di seta. Carmeli also provided the singing voice for the character Ilya Ziloev in Fellini's 1983 film And the Ship Sails On.[14] At roughly the same time, he sang for Pope John Paul II at the Vatican.[3] Carmeli continued concert appearances until the early 1990s.[8]
Discography
Boris Carmeli appears on the following recordings:[1][3][15][16]
- Boris Godunov (Mussorgsky), Orchestra of the Teatro La Fenice, conductor Jerzy Semkow
- Choral Music by RAI Chorus and Symphony Orchestra, conductor Hermann Scherchen
- Kölner Rundfunk-Sinfonie-Orchester, conductor Herbert von Karajan
- Leipzig Radio Symphony Orchestra, conductor Herbert Kegel
- Ernest Ansermet and The Ballets Russes, L'orchestre de la Suisse Romande, conductor Ernest Ansermet
- Bach: Actus tragicus, BWV 106, Orchestra Sinfonica di Torino Della RAI, conductor Hermann Scherchen (Turin 1958)
- Orchestra Filarmonica di Roma, conductor Franco Ferrara
- Le prophète (Meyerbeer), Orchestra Sinfonica di Torino della RAI, conductor Henry Lewis (Turin 1970)
- Les Troyens (Berlioz), RAI National Symphony Orchestra, conductor Georges Prêtre 1969
- Mass, for Soloists, Chorus & Orchestra, Op. 21 (Wolfgang von Schweinitz, Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra, conductor Uwe Gronostay
- NDR Symphony Orchestra, conductor Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt
- Odd Opera, Various
- Pulcinella (Stravinsky), L'Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, conductor Ernest Ansermet
- Renaud François, Ensemble 2E2M, conductor Paul Méfano
- Sirius, (Stockhausen), conductor Karlheinz Stockhausen
- Snap Shots, Various
- Stravinsky: Ballets, Stage Works, Orchestral Works, L'Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, conductor Ernest Ansermet
- Warsaw Philharmonic, conductor Antoni Wit
- Symphony 6 "Desiderata", Op. 70 / Alpha-Zeta, Op. 54 / Pater Noster, Op. 51 (Chor des Mitteldeutschen Rundfunks, conductor Leopold Hager
- Utrenja / Utrenja II (Penderecki), Kölner Rundfunk-Sinfonie-Orchester, conductor Andrzej Markowski
- Vox Humana? / Finale / Fürst Igor, Strawinsky (Mauricio Kagel), Ensemble 2e2m, conductor Paul Méfano
- Zeitgenössische Musik in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland 10 (1970–1980)
Personal life
Carmeli lived in Italy for most of his post-war life. In 1961, on a trip to perform at the
References
- ^ a b c Nowotny, Walter (April 2018). "In memoriam-Geburtstage im April 2018". Online Merker (in German). Retrieved 17 April 2021.
- ^ Lemco, Gary. "Classical Reissue Reviews, Verdi: Messa Da Requiem". Audiophile Audition. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Boris Carmeli". Naxos Records. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
- ^ a b "Penderecki: Symphony no. 7". Opera Today. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
- ^ "Review, Classical Music, Star Bars". Texas Monthly: 116. March 1978.
- ^ ISBN 978-0300122947.
- ^ a b "Biography of Boris Carmeli". Biblioteca di Storia della Musica. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
- ^ ISBN 978-3-59-844088-5.
- ^ a b "Biography – Boris Carmeli". Eventim. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
- ^ "Concert: Strange Sirius". The New York Times. 19 July 1978. Retrieved 18 April 2021.
- ^ a b "Seven Gates of Jerusalem". Schott Music. Retrieved 18 April 2021.
- ^ "Penderecki, Symphony No. 7, Seven Gates of Jerusalem". Discogs. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
- ^ "Seven Gates of Jerusalem". Oberon's Grove. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
- ^ "And the Ship Sails On". Fondazione Federico Fellini. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
- ^ "CDs & Vinyl, Boris Carmeli". Amazon. Retrieved 18 April 2021.
- ^ "Fanfare Magazine Archives". Fanfare Magazine. Retrieved 18 April 2021.
External links
- "Boris Carmeli (Bass)". Bach Cantatas Website.
- Boris Carmeli discography at Discogs
- Pulcinella, Igor Stravinsky (complete) on YouTube, Marilyn Tyler(soprano), Carlo Franzini (tenor), Boris Carmeli
- Sirius, Karlheinz Stockhausen on YouTube, Boris Carmeli, Annette Meriweather (soprano), Markus Stockhausen (trumpet), Suzanne Stephens (bass clarinet)