Theo Adam | |
|---|---|
 Adam in 1987 | |
| Born | (1926-08-01)1 August 1926 |
| Died | 10 January 2019(2019-01-10) (aged 92) Dresden, Germany |
| Occupation | Opera singer (bass) |
Theo Adam (1 August 1926 – 10 January 2019)[1][2] was aGerman operaticbass-baritone andbass singer who had an international career inopera, concert and recital from 1949. He was a member of theStaatsoper Dresden for his entire career, and sang at the Bayreuth Festival from 1952 to 1980. He particularly excelled in portraying roles byRichard Wagner, especially Wotan inDer Ring des Nibelungen, which he also performed at theMetropolitan Opera, among others. In concert, he was a much admiredBach singer and also drew acclaim for his interpretation of the title character of Mendelssohn'sElijah. He was a voice teacher at theMusikhochschule Dresden.
Born inDresden,[3] Adam sang with theDresdner Kreuzchor as a boy from 1936 to 1942.[4] He served in theGerman Army inWorld War II.[5][6] He studied singing privately with Rudolf Dietrich between 1946 and 1949.[5] He made his professional debut at theStaatsoper Dresden as Czernikowski in Mussorgsky'sBoris Godunov in 1949, followed by the Hermit in Weber'sDer Freischütz.[4] In 1952, he joined the roster of singers at theBerlin State Opera.[5] He remained a member of the house throughout his career.[4]
He appeared at theBayreuth Festival first in 1952, as Ortel in Wagner'sDie Meistersinger von Nürnberg. He returned annually to Bayreuth for many years, taking on the role of Heinrich der Vogler inLohengrin in 1954, Titurel (and one of the Gralsritter) inParsifal the same year, Fasolt inDas Rheingold in 1958, and Wotan inDer Ring des Nibelungen in 1963. He eventually added Amfortas inParsifal, Hans Sachs and Veit Pogner inDie Meistersinger von Nürnberg, and the title role inDer fliegende Holländer to his Bayreuth performance credits.[4]
Adam made his début at theRoyal Opera House in London as Wotan in 1967.[4] He made his first appearance at theSalzburg Festival as Ochs inDer Rosenkavalier by Richard Strauss in 1969, returning there three years later in the title role of Alban Berg'sWozzeck. At theTheater an der Wien, he appeared as Pizarro in Beethoven'sFidelio in a 1970 production celebrating the composer's bicentenary of birth. He appeared as Mozart'sDon Giovanni at theVienna State Opera in a new 1972 production.[7]
At theMetropolitan Opera, he appeared first as Sachs inDie Meistersinger on 7 February 1969,[4] alongsidePilar Lorengar as Eva,John Alexander as Stolzing, conducted byJoseph Rosenstock. That same year he was Wotan inDas Rheingold andDie Walküre, alongsideBirgit Nilsson,Régine Crespin,Lili Chookasian, andJon Vickers, conducted and directed byHerbert von Karajan. He returned to the Metropolitan Opera in 1972 for Sachs and Wotan with a similar cast that now also includedGwyneth Jones. After a sixteen-year absence, Adam returned for the last time in March 1988 as Wotan inDie Walküre withPeter Hofmann as Siegmund,Sabine Hass as Sieglinde, conducted byJames Levine.[8]
Adam appeared in a number of world premieres, especially three operas written for him:[3] the title roles inPaul Dessau'sEinstein [de] (1974, Berlin) andFriedrich Cerha'sBaal, an adaption ofBertolt Brecht's playBaal, (1981, Salzburg), and the role of Prospero in Berio'sUn re in ascolto (1984, Salzburg).[3] A reviewer wrote aboutBaal: "Adam had to reinvent himself. He usually looks noble in whatever part he sings, perhaps appearing so naturally, whereas here he had to act the dissolute anarchist."[9] In 1979, Adam was named aKammersänger of the Vienna State Opera.[5]
Adam recorded several complete operas, including Mozart'sCosì fan tutte (1969),Fidelio (1969 and 1979),Der fliegende Holländer (withAnja Silja, conducted byOtto Klemperer, 1968),Der Freischütz (1973 and 1985),Hänsel und Gretel (1970), Beethoven'sLeonore (withEdda Moser andRichard Cassilly, 1976),Die Meistersinger (conducted by Karajan 1970),Parsifal (as Amfortas, withRené Kollo in the title role, 1975),Der Ring des Nibelungen (conducted byKarl Böhm, 1966–67; and byMarek Janowski, 1980–1983),Tannhäuser (1968–69),Wozzeck (1970 and 1973), and Mozart'sDie Zauberflöte (as Sarastro, 1968; elsewhere as the Sprecher). He participated in the first recording of the Berio'sUn re in ascolto (withKaran Armstrong, conducted byLorin Maazel, 1984). His non-operatic recordings include the Raphael in Haydn'sDie Schöpfung, Bach'sChristmas Oratorio, and theMozart Requiem. He was a regular soloist with theMünchener Bach-Chor conducted byKarl Richter, performing and recording Bach'scantatas andPassions.[10]
Adam was praised for his robust voice, intelligent interpretation and stage presence,[3] and sometimes criticized for abrasive tone quality,[11] unsteadiness,[12] and wobble.[13]
Adam taught voice as honorary professor at theMusikhochschule Dresden from 1979.[5]
Adam died on 10 January 2019 in Dresden.[3][14]
Adam wrote books about his life, career, and perspective on opera:[5]
