Watch Full Munich Concert With Netrebko, Kaufmann, Hampson

Netrebko, Kaufmann, Hampson: Meeting of the stars on medici.tv.

Thomas Hampson To Replace Hvorostovsky At "Summit of the Stars"

In light of yesterday's tragic news of Dmitri Hvorostovsky falling ill, Thomas Hampson will replace him on the June 27 "Gipfeltreffen der Stars" concert in Munich with Jonas Kaufmann and Anna Netrebko. "Es nennt sich 'Gipfeltreffen der Stars,' und die Veranstalter haben wohl auch recht: Mit Anna Netrebko (43) und Jonas Kaufmann (45) treten am 27. Juni zwei der größten Stars der Klassik-Szene bei einem Open-Air-Konzert auf dem Münchner Königsplatz auf. Ohne Probe funktioniert das aber auch bei den beiden Mega-Stars nicht. 'Kein Konzert ohne Probe! Selbst wenn man auf einer Tournee an zehn Abenden hintereinander dasselbe Programm singt, muss man vor jedem Konzert proben, schon weil jeder Raum eine andere Akustik hat,' sagte Kaufmann im Interview der Deutschen Presse-Agentur. 'Und bei einem technisch aufwendigen Freiluft-Konzert vor rund 15 000 Zuschauern wäre es schierer Wahnsinn, ohne Probe auf die Bühne zu gehen.' Mit Netrebko und Kaufmann zusammen tritt der Bariton Thomas Hampson auf, der den erkrankten Dmitri Chworostowski kurzfristig ersetzt." The concert will include opera highlights by Verdi, Puccini, and Rossini. Special guests include Elena Zhidkova and Ildar Abdrazakov. Click here for more information on how to watch the concert. [Source, Source]

Thomas Hampson Bestowed With Honorary Doctorate

Hampson receiving honor in Boston 
(Photo: Andrew Hurlbut)

"Baritone Thomas Hampson, recently honored as a Metropolitan Opera Guild 'Met Mastersinger,' will receive an honorary Doctor of Music degree from New England Conservatory,in a ceremony presided over by President Tony Woodcock that takes place during a masterclass Hampson will lead for voice and opera students at 2 pm in NEC’s Brown Hall. The event marks Hampson’s second visit to NEC, the baritone having previously directed a Richard P. and Claire W. Morse Masterclass in April 2013." The event took place on January 18, 2015. "Born in Elkhart, Indiana, Hampson grew up in Spokane, Washington, where he enrolled at Eastern Washington State College (now Eastern Washington University) in Cheney, majoring in political science/government. Concurrently, Hampson earned a BFA in Voice Performance at Fort Wright College under the tutelage of Sister Marietta Coyle. During the summers of 1978 and 1979, he studied under Gwendolyn Koldowsky and Martial Singher at the Music Academy of the West, where he won the Lotte Lehmann Award. He then continued his studies at the University of Southern California, where he worked with vocal coach Jack Metz and the baritone Horst Gunther, a lifelong mentor. In 1980, as a consequence of winning the San Francisco Opera audition, he completed in the Merola Opera Program, in which he met Elisabeth Schwarzkopf. In 1981, he was one of the winners in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions national finals." [Source, Source]

Opera Singers Important To "Christmas In Washington" History

Clamma Dale

Performing for Presidents of the United States has long been a duty and service that comes with great honor for classical musicians for more than a century. Particularly highlighted during the holiday season in December each year since 1981, opera singers have played an integral part of the concert Christmas in Washington. Standing alongside fellow musicians from virtually every genre of the music world to celebrate holiday favorites has brought the world of opera to larger audiences via television. Taking a look back over the years, the following singers have been fortunate enough to be part of this American tradition: Frederica von Stade (1984), Clamma Dale (1986), Kathleen Battle (1988), Barbara Hendricks (1990), Dawn Upshaw (1995) Ruth Ann Swenson (1996), Thomas Hampson (1997), Harolyn Blackwell (1998), Charlotte Church (2001), Renée Fleming (2003),  and Andrea Bocelli (2010). Take a look at some of the

Kathleen Battle

performances after the jump. "One of two annual holiday specials produced by George Stevens, Jr. (the other being the Kennedy Center Honors), the variety show first aired in 1981 on NBC before moving to its current home on TNT in 1998. Recorded in Washington, D.C. at the National Building Museum, on the second Sunday of each December before being re-edited for later broadcast, Christmas in Washington is a one-hour concert featuring artists from musical genres. Each guest perform at least one solo, but the marquee performer usually has one or two more songs. The show also has at least one guest from the world of opera. Each of the musical performances are backed by a full orchestra and chorus. The show's finale consists of a medley performed by all the musical guests before

Frederica von Stade

the attendees-of-honor, the President of the United States and the First Lady, make a closing statement. Recent events have benefited Children's National Medical Center. The show also has a host. For many years, the show was hosted by Dr. Phil and his wife, Robin. However, since 2009, the show has had a single host. The 2013 edition featured Hugh Jackman as host and The Backstreet Boys as marquee performers, marking the first time in six years that a group has been featured as marquee performers. The show airs live on pay-per-view internationally and in most major cities, after which a re-edited 42-minute version (with commercials in a one-hour slot) airs on the aforementioned TNT network." [Source, Source, Source, Source, Source]  

Renee Fleming performing during the Christmas in Washington at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C., in 2003. | gettyimages.com

What Is Missing From The 57th Annual GRAMMY Nominee List?

Nominations for the 57th Annual Grammy Awards came out today and there were some albums, artists, and labels, conspicuously missing from the classical opera, choral, and vocal, recital lists. Eligibility rules state that for the 57th Annual GRAMMY Awards albums must be released between October 1, 2013 and September 30, 2014. For whatever reason, here is a sampling of those not making the list: Elīna Garanča - Meditation (DG); Verdi: Giovanna d Arco- Anna Netrebko, Plácido Domingo (DG); Juan Diego Flórez - L'Amour (Decca); Jonas Kaufmann - You Mean the World to Me (Sony); Jonas Kaufmann - Die Winterreise (Sony); Max Emanuel Cencic - Rokoko: Hasse Opera Arias (Decca); Ildar Abrazakov - Power Players: Russian Arias for Bass (Delos); Rolando Villazón - Mozart Concert Arias (DG); Sabine Devieilhe - Rameau: Le Grand Theatre de l'amour (Erato); Marina Rebeka - Mozart Arias (Warner Classics); Iestyn Davies - Arise, My Muse (Wigmore Hall Live); Javier Camarena - Tenor Recitales (Urtext); Karina Gauvin - Mozart: Concert & Opera Arias (ATMA Classique); Anna Prohaska - Behind the Lines (DG); Thomas Hampson - Notturno: The Strauss Recital (DG); Madgalena Kozená - Prayer: Voice & Organ (DG); Poulenc: Stabat Mater, Gloria, Litanies à la Vierge noire - Patricia Petibon (DG); Verdi: Simon Boccanegra - Hampson, Opolais, Calleja, Pisaroni; Zanetti (Decca); Joseph Calleja - Amore (Decca); Muhly: Two Boys - Coote, Appleby, K. Miller; Robertson (Nonesuch); Vittorio Grigòlo - Ave Maria (Sony Classical); Sacred Verdi - Maria Agresta; Nagano (Warner Classics); Olga Peretyatko - Arabesque (Sony). Ever wonder how your favorite recordings get nominated each year? Find the answer out after the jump, which is where the complete list for year's best opera, choral and solo vocal recordings can be found as well.

Red Ribbon Celebration Concert Performances At Life Ball 2014

Jennifer O'Loughlin

"Schon früh am Morgen herrschte auf dem Wiener Flughafen hellste Aufregung, denn das Flugzeug mit den hochkarätigen Stargästen wurde erwartet - die Ankunft wurde natürlich, wie könnte es anders sein, spannend gemacht, denn bis zum Schluss war nicht klar, wann der Flieger wirklich landen würde. 'Ich freue mich schon,' zeigte sich Life Ball-Organisator Gerry Keszler aufgeregt, seine Gäste bald begrüßen zu dürfen. Um 9.40 Uhr war es dann endlich so weit: der Life Ball-Jet landete in Wien." [Source] More photos after the jump.

Ildar Abdrazakov

Luca Pisaroni and Thomas Hampson

Joyce DiDonato Markets New Album With Famous Friends

Thomas Hampson Defends Opera on BBC News HARDTalk Program

Interviewer Sarah Montague sets out to skewer Thomas Hampson as if he were the nearest Capulet in a 100 mile radius. As she stretches the boundaries of HARDTalk to border on ATTACK-with-random-surveys-and-loose-facts, she manages to coax the baritone into one of his best roles to date: extraordinarily intelligent wordsmith. Here we have a opera singer who has not only a complete mastery of the English language, but knows how to calmly engage in oral debate. He seems a bit surprised at some of the questions (or perhaps it was just the tone of the delivery he was reacting to....), so it seems he wasn't warned in advance to prepare talking points.

Judith Neuhoff Named Managing Director of Universal Venture

"Berlin/London - Mit Centre Stage Artist Management hat Universal Music eine eigene Künstleragentur ins Leben gerufen. Das Unternehmen hat seinen Sitz in Berlin und London. Centre Stage Artist Management hat es sich zum Ziel gemacht, klassischen Sängerinnen und Sängern einen "umfassenden und maßgeschneiderten Management-Service" zu bieten. Die neue Agentur arbeitet bereits mit Universal-Music-Künstlern wie Anna Netrebko und Rolando Villazón zusammen. Auch die Sopranistin Mojca Erdmann, Mezzosopran Ruxandra Donose, die Tenöre Joseph Calleja und Massimo Giordano sowie die Baritone Thomas Hampson und Roman Trekel gehören bereits zum Roster von Centre Stage Artist Management. Den Posten den Managing Director von Centre Stage hat Judith Neuhoff übernommen. Die Ernennung Neuhoffs zum Managing Director 'steht für eine neue Struktur und eine neue Identität des Unternehmens,' heißt es in der Pressemitteilung der Universal Music Group. Judith

ECHO Klassik Vocal Award-Winners 2011

Singer of the Year: Simone Kermes

Sängerin des Jahres:
Simone Kermes
Sänger des Jahres:
Thomas Hampson
Nachwuchskünstler (Gesang):
Vittorio Grigolo
Klassik-ohne-Grenzen-Preis:
Rolando Villazón
Operneinspielung des Jahres:
Bejun Mehta
Operneinspielung des Jahres:
René Pape
Liedeinspielung des Jahres:
Diana Damrau
Musik-DVD-Produktion des Jahres (Oper):
Cecilia Bartoli

New York State Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage

Congratulations to all couples who have waited to show their love through a married relationship like every other citizen. Now, there's the matter of just how that big day will go down:

Renée Fleming and Thomas Hampson Talk Opera

Renée Fleming, Thomas Hampson and Christian Thielemann in conversation with Sarah Willis, horn player with the Berliner Philharmoniker. Recorded in the Berlin Philharmonie, 7 May 2011.

Fleming, Hampson and Thielemann in Berlin Pay-Per-View

Visit the Berlin Philharmonic digital concert hall to purchase excerpts from the all-Strauss concert with Renée Fleming and Thomas Hampson under conductor Christian Thielemann at http://www.digitalconcerthall.com/en/concert/1641. Full program is after the jump.

The National Anthem: Renée Fleming or Thomas Hampson?

"Let's start by remembering that the national anthem is not a pop standard, but the equivalent of a hymn about our country, and give it some overdue respect. Sing it as it's written — period. Let's acknowledge that it presents serious musical challenges to those who sing it, and select only performers who can breathe in the right places, put the emphases on the right words and notes, and, most of all, sing the right notes beautifully. If people insist on a soloist, well, there are plenty of legitimate singers who can bring both star power and vocal beauty to the task, singers like soprano Renée Fleming and baritone Thomas Hampson." [Source]

Thomas Hampson Takes Manhattan

(Photo: Philip Montgomery/Wall Street Journal)

Mr. Hampson had just finished an intense, intimate performance and interview at WQXR radio's Jerome L. Greene Performance Space on Charlton Street. The show capped off a string of performances the previous week with the New York Philharmonic. Mr. Hampson is also in the middle of a Mahler extravaganza: Last year was the 150th anniversary of the Austrian composer's birth, and this year is the 100th anniversary of his death. Mr. Hampson also just released a new recording of Mahler's Des Knaben Wunderhorn. [Source]

The Villainous Thomas Hampson

Baritone Thomas Hampson discusses his role in Verdi's I Masnadieri at the Opernhaus Zürich, what he thinks of critics, the difference between his Violettas, working with Elisabeth Schwarzkopf and doing master classes at the Heidelberg Academy. Read the full interview with Basel Zeitung.

The last performance of the production takes place tomorrow. More photos after the jump.

Is a High Note Like a Hole in One?

Bryn Terfel tees off at an exhibition match for the Ryder Cup in Wales.

Golf seems to be the chosen sport these days of many type-A opera singers. What is it that attracts these stage animals out into the subdued wilderness of the country club scene? I would guess the discipline that they so aptly apply to their craft is quite easily transferable to the links: skill,  precision and accuracy.