Bernard Ładysz facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bernard Ładysz
|
|
|---|---|
Bernard Ładysz
|
|
| Born | 24 July 1922 Wilno, Poland
|
| Died | 25 July 2020 (aged 98) Warsaw, Poland
|
| Occupation |
|
| Awards | Honorary doctorate of the Chopin University of Music |
Bernard Ładysz (born 24 July 1922, died 25 July 2020) was a famous Polish singer and actor. He was known as a bass-baritone, which is a type of male singing voice that is deep and powerful. He sang in many big opera houses and festivals around the world.
Bernard Ładysz was especially famous for playing the main characters in operas like Mozart's Don Giovanni and Mussorgsky's Boris Godunov. He also recorded music, including the opera Lucia di Lammermoor with the legendary singer Maria Callas. He was the only Polish singer to perform with her. Besides opera, he also acted in several movies, such as The Promised Land in 1974.
Contents
A Life in Music and Film
Early Life and Challenges
Bernard Ładysz was born in a city called Wilno, which is now Vilnius, Lithuania. He started learning to sing there in 1940. The next year, he joined the Polish Home Army, a group that fought for Poland's freedom during World War II. He took part in a big military action called Operation Tempest in 1944.
After the war, he was held in a camp in Russia from 1944 to 1946. When he was released, he returned to Poland. He continued his singing studies at the Warsaw Conservatory.
Starting His Career
In 1946, Bernard Ładysz first worked in the Ceremonial Band of the Polish Army. He made his first stage appearance in 1950. This was in the opera Eugene Onegin by Tchaikovsky, at the Teatr Wielki in Warsaw. He continued to be a main singer there until 1979.
International Fame
In 1956, he won a singing competition in Vercelli, Italy. This helped him become known around the world. He was invited to perform in many places, including Australia, the Americas, and China.
He was especially remembered for his roles in famous operas:
- The main character in Mozart's Don Giovanni
- The main character in Mussorgsky's Boris Godunov
- Philip II in Verdi's Don Carlos
- Amonasro in Verdi's Aida
- Mephistophélès in Gounod's Faust
He also performed in Polish operas like The Haunted Manor and Halka by Stanisław Moniuszko. He even appeared in the musical Fiddler on the Roof as Tevje.
New Music and Acting
Bernard Ładysz also performed in the very first shows of new musical works. He sang in the opera Die Teufel von Loudun by Krzysztof Penderecki in 1969. He also sang a special solo part in Penderecki's St Luke Passion at the Salzburg Festival in 1970.
As an actor, he appeared in eleven films between 1965 and 1999. Some of his notable roles were in The Promised Land (1975), The Quack (1981), and With Fire and Sword (1999).
Awards and Later Life
Bernard Ładysz received many awards for his amazing career. In 2000, he was given the Commander's Cross with Star of the Order of Polonia Restituta, which is a very high Polish honor. In 2008, he received an honorary doctorate from the Chopin University of Music.
Bernard Ładysz passed away in Warsaw on 25 July 2020, just one day after his 98th birthday.
Awards and Recognition
Bernard Ładysz received many honors throughout his life:
- 1947 – First Prize, National Vocal Competition in Warsaw
- 1956 – First Prize, International Vocal Competition in Vercelli, Italy
- 1974 – Order of the Banner of Labour Class 1
- 2000 – Commander's Cross with Star of the Order of Polonia Restituta
- 2008 – Honorary doctorate of the Chopin University of Music
Film Appearances
Bernard Ładysz acted in several films, including:
- The Doll (1968)
- Ziemia obiecana (1974)
- The Quack (1981)
- Ogniem i mieczem (1999)
