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| Samuel Ramey |
He has been referred to as the original barihunk by some, for leading the way in sexy portrayals of the low voice repertory. His video of Boito's
Mefistofele
from the San Francisco Opera has become a cult classic with opera
aficionados. He continued his sexy shirtless portrayals as
Attila
that were not only sexy, but set the vocal standard to this day.
His amazing vocal
flexibility and range has allowed his to sing roles ranging from Argante
in Handel’s
Rinaldo to the title role in Bartok’s
Bluebeard’s Castle. His
repertoire includes the florid pasages of Handel, the bel canto roles
of Bellini and Donizetti, the great baritone roles of Verdi and Puccini,
great American operas and even many of the great Russian and French
bass roles.
Samuel Ramey sings "The Impossible Dream"
If he sang nothing else, he would be famous for his interpretation of Boito’s
Mefistofele,which
has included seventy performances in the Robert Carsen production of
the opera specifically created for him. In fact, devilish roles have
dominated his stage performances, including Berlioz's devil in
La damnation de Faust; the sinister Nick Shadow in Stravinsky’s
The Rake’s Progress; and the tour de force of all four villains in Offenbach’s
Les Contes d’Hoffmann.
In 1992 Mr. Ramey sang all of Offenbach’s villains for the Metropolitan
Opera’s opening night, prompting one critic to write, “[It was] the
best interpretation of the four villains I can remember in the last 25
years. This is the stuff of which operatic legends are made.” In 1996
Mr. Ramey presented a sold-out concert at New York’s Avery Fisher Hall
titled
A Date with the Devil in which he sang fourteen arias
representing the core of this repertoire, and he continues to tour this
program throughout the world.
Samuel Ramey sings "Scintille, diamant" from Les contes d'Hoffmann:
Samuel Ramey holds the distinction of being the most recorded bass in
history. His more than eighty recordings include complete operas,
recordings of arias, symphonic works, solo recital programs, and popular
crossover albums on every major label. His recordings have garnered
nearly every major award including three Grammy Awards, Gran Prix du
Disc Awards, and “Best of the Year” citations from journals including
Stereo Review and
Opera News. His exposure on television and video is no less impressive, with video recordings of the Metropolitan Opera’s
Carmen,
Bluebeard’s Castle,
Semiramide,
Nabucco, and the compilation “The Met Celebrates Verdi;” San Francisco Opera’s
Mefistofele;
The Rake’s Progress from the Glyndebourne Festival;
Attila from La Scala; and the Salzburg Festival’s
Don Giovanni. Ramey is seen frequently on television in appearances with “Live
from the Met” and “Live from Lincoln Center” as well as other
productions taped for PBS.
Following his phenomenal success in opera, concert, and recordings,
Samuel Ramey’s sold-out Carnegie Hall recital in 1987 added a fourth
dimension to his spectacular career. His returns to New York’s Carnegie
Hall for solo recitals in February 1995 and November 1998 were the
culmination of extensive, critically-acclaimed North American tours
which had taken Mr. Ramey from Alaska to Alabama, with appearances on
America's finest vocal series. His European recital career is equally
notable, with sold-out appearances in all the music capitals.
Samuel Ramey "Mentre gonfiarsi l'anima" from Attila:
A native of Colby, Kansas, Samuel Ramey was active in music
throughout high school and college. In 1995 he was named “Kansan of the
Year,” and in 1998 the French Ministry of Culture awarded him the rank
of Commander in the Order of Arts and Letters.
He is still actively performing, although in less demanding roles. Upcoming performance include Bartok's
A Kekszakallu herceg vara in Omaha and the role of Dansker in Britten's
Billy Budd with the Los Angeles Opera.
Last April, he performed the Grand Inquisitor in Verdi's
Don Carlos at the Houston Grand Opera. In June of last year, he traded in the title role in Verid's
Attila at San Francisco Opera for the less demanding role of Leone. In September, he thrilled his New York fans by returning to the Met to sing
Timur in Puccini's Turandot.
