Kurt Moll
Kurt Moll | |
---|---|
Background information | |
Born | Buir, Germany | 11 April 1938
Died | 5 March 2017 Cologne, Germany | (aged 78)
Occupation(s) | Opera singer |
Instrument(s) | Voice (bass) |
Years active | 1958–2006 |
Kurt Moll (11 April 1938 – 5 March 2017)[1] was a German operatic bass singer who enjoyed a widely renowned international career.[2]
His voice was notable for its range, a true basso profondo, including full, resonant low and very-low notes with relaxed vibrato; also for its unusual combination of extreme volume-capacity and a purring, contrabassoon-like timbre.[a][3] Although he had a powerful voice and stamina adequate for the most demanding parts, he was not a thunderer, and never performed as Wagner's vocally athletic, bellowing bassos Hagen,[4] Hans Sachs, nor Wotan.[5] His interpretations tended to be restrained and intelligent, even in comedic roles like Osmin in Mozart's Die Entführung aus dem Serail and Baron Ochs in Der Rosenkavalier.
Career
Moll was born in
He made his Bayreuth Festival debut in 1968 as the nightwatchman in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, and sang there for several years as Fafner in Der Ring des Nibelungen, Marke in Tristan und Isolde and Pogner in Die Meistersinger.[3][7]
He made his American debut with the San Francisco Opera as Gurnemanz in Wagner's Parsifal in 1974, a role he reprised with the company in 2000. He made his debut at the Metropolitan Opera on the opening night of the 1977–78 season, appearing as the Landgrave in Wagner's Tannhäuser. He also sang there as Rocco in Beethoven's Fidelio and Sparafucile in Verdi's Rigoletto.
He made many recordings of opera, sacred music,
Awards and honors
He won three
Retirement
Moll retired from the stage in 2006, after singing the Nightwatchman at the Bavarian State Opera in Munich.[3] He gave a master class in January 2011 at Carnegie Hall.[12]
Moll lived in Cologne with his family until his death.
Film
- Kurt Moll – Ein Mann, ein Bass. portrait, Germany 2000, 60 min., directed by Eckhart Schmidt, produced by Raphaela Film GmbH and Preview Release GmbH in coproduction with Bayerischer Rundfunk
See also
Notes
- ^ According to Vladimir Miller he would have been appropriately fitted to sing Russian liturgical parts for basso profondi (Octavists)
References
- ^ "Opernsänger Kurt Moll gestorben" (in German). ORF. Archived from the original on 1 March 2016. Retrieved 6 March 2017.
- ^ ISBN 0-671-87042-4.
- ^ a b c Luehrs-Kaiser, Kai (11 April 2008). "Ein Bass wie der von Gottvater: Kurt Moll wird 70". Die Welt (in German). Retrieved 7 March 2017.
- ^ "Kurt Moll Interview with Bruce Duffie . . . . . ". www.bruceduffie.com. Retrieved 2 September 2017.
- ^ "You are being redirected..." www.operanews.com.
- ^ "Kurt Moll (Bass)". Bach-Cantatas. Retrieved 6 March 2017.
- ^ "Performance Database".
- ^ "Kurt Moll". GRAMMY.com. 19 November 2019.
- ^ "Nominees / Winners 1991". Television Academy.
- ^ "Kurt Moll (1938–2017) – Find A Grave-gedenkplek".
- ^ "Moll Kurt". Bayerische Staatsoper (in German). 31 July 2006. Archived from the original on 17 May 2021. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
- ^ "Kurt Moll master class". Archived from the original on 21 July 2012. Retrieved 2 September 2017.
External links
- Kurt Moll: Der Rosenkavalier – Baron Ochs – Da lieg ich on YouTube
- The voice of the Almighty, in Haydn's CREATION, YouTube video
- Haydn's ST. CECILIA MASS YouTube video
- Kurt Moll anticipates death (YouTube, audio only)
- Interview with Kurt Moll, 22 October 1984
- Alexander Werner: Säen und sehen, wie es wächst (in German) interview on 21 June 2005 in Hotel an der Oper, Munich, in: Standpunkte, June 2007, p. 46–47