Kurt Moll | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | (1938-04-11)11 April 1938 Buir, Germany |
| Died | 5 March 2017(2017-03-05) (aged 78) Cologne, Germany |
| Occupation | Opera singer |
| Instrument | Voice (bass) |
| Years active | 1958–2006 |
Kurt Moll (11 April 1938 – 5 March 2017)[1] was a German operaticbass singer who enjoyed a widely renowned international career.[2]
His voice was notable for its range, a truebasso 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 asWagner's vocally athletic, bellowing bassosHagen,[4]Hans Sachs, norWotan.[5] His interpretations tended to be restrained and intelligent, even in comedic roles like Osmin inMozart'sDie Entführung aus dem Serail and Baron Ochs inStrauss'sDer Rosenkavalier.
Moll was born inBuir, nearCologne, Germany.[2] As a child, he played the cello and hoped to become a great cellist. He sang in the school choir whose conductor encouraged him to concentrate on singing. He studied voice at theMusikhochschule Köln. He joined theCologne Opera at age 20 and remained a member of the ensemble until 1961. He then sang for three years at theMainz Opera and five years at theWuppertal Opera. In 1969, he accepted an engagement with theHamburg State Opera, and then performed in major opera houses of Europe.[6]
He made hisBayreuth Festival debut in 1968 as the nightwatchman inDie Meistersinger von Nürnberg, and sang there for several years as Fafner inDer Ring des Nibelungen, Marke inTristan und Isolde and Pogner inDie Meistersinger.[3][7]
He made his American debut with theSan Francisco Opera as Gurnemanz in Wagner'sParsifal in 1974, a role he reprised with the company in 2000. He made his debut at theMetropolitan Opera on the opening night of the 1977–78 season, appearing as theLandgrave in Wagner'sTannhäuser. He also sang there as Rocco in Beethoven'sFidelio and Sparafucile in Verdi'sRigoletto.
He made many recordings of opera, sacred music,Charpentier'sTe deum H.146, Magnificat H.74 in 1990 withNeville Mariner andlieder. Moll can be heard as Ochs in seven complete recordings ofDer Rosenkavalier, as Sarastro in six recordings of Mozart'sDie Zauberflöte, as Marke in six sets of Wagner'sTristan und Isolde, and as the Archangel Raphael in three recordings of Haydn'sDie Schöpfung. His recording for the Orfeo label of Schubert's philosophical"Lieder für Bass" set a new standard for these songs; he also recorded Schubert's song-cycleWinterreise, and an album of dramatic/heroic ballads byCarl Loewe. Besides German, Italian, and Latin, he recorded a few roles in Russian, including Pimen inBoris Godunov and the Old Convict inLady Macbeth of Mtsensk byShostakovich. He can be seen in many roles on commercial video, including Sarastro (twice), Osmin, theCommendatore,Bartolo, Hunding in Wagner'sDie Walküre (three times), Fafner inDas Rheingold andSiegfried, in Gurnemanz inParsifal, and Ochs (three times).
He won threeGrammy Awards (1981, 1985, and 1989) for various opera CDs,[8] and aPrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Classical Music/Dance for his performance as Hunding on the PBS television seriesLive from the Metropolitan Opera (also known asThe Metropolitan Opera Presents), in 1991.[9] In Germany he held the prestigious titleKammersänger.[10] Moll was Bayerischer, Hamburger und Wiener Kammersänger.[11]
Moll retired from the stage in 2006, after singing the Nightwatchman at theBavarian State Opera in Munich.[3] He gave a master class in January 2011 atCarnegie Hall.[12]
Moll lived in Cologne with his family until his death.
