Kurt Moll facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kurt Moll |
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| Background information | |
| Born | 11 April 1938 Buir, Germany |
| Died | 5 March 2017 (aged 78) Cologne, Germany |
| Occupation(s) | Opera singer |
| Instruments | Voice (bass) |
| Years active | 1958–2006 |
Kurt Moll (born April 11, 1938 – died March 5, 2017) was a very famous German bass opera singer. He was known around the world for his amazing voice.
His voice was special because it was very deep and full. He had a true basso profondo voice, which means he could sing very low notes clearly. Even though his voice was powerful, he used it in a calm and smart way. He was great at both serious and funny opera roles. For example, he played Osmin in Mozart's Die Entführung aus dem Serail and Baron Ochs in Der Rosenkavalier.
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Kurt Moll's Early Life and Career
Kurt Moll was born in Buir, a town near Cologne, Germany. When he was a child, he loved playing the cello. He even hoped to become a professional cellist.
He also sang in his school choir. His choir teacher noticed his singing talent and told him to focus on his voice. So, Kurt Moll went on to study singing at the Musikhochschule Köln in Cologne.
Starting His Opera Journey
Kurt Moll joined the Cologne Opera when he was just 20 years old. He sang there until 1961. After that, he performed at the Mainz Opera for three years. Then, he spent five years singing at the Wuppertal Opera.
In 1969, he joined the Hamburg State Opera. From there, he started performing in many big opera houses across Europe.
Performing on Famous Stages
Kurt Moll made his first appearance at the famous Bayreuth Festival in 1968. He sang the role of the nightwatchman in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg. He returned to Bayreuth many times to sing other important roles. These included Fafner in Der Ring des Nibelungen and Marke in Tristan und Isolde.
He first sang in America in 1974 with the San Francisco Opera. He played Gurnemanz in Wagner's Parsifal. He sang this role again with the company in 2000.
Kurt Moll also made his debut at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City in 1977. He appeared as the Landgrave in Wagner's Tannhäuser. He also sang roles like Rocco in Beethoven's Fidelio and Sparafucile in Verdi's Rigoletto there.
Kurt Moll's Recordings
Kurt Moll recorded many operas and other types of music. He recorded sacred music and German songs called lieder. He also recorded works like Charpentier's Te Deum.
He recorded the role of Ochs in Der Rosenkavalier seven times. He was Sarastro in six recordings of Mozart's Die Zauberflöte. He also appeared in many opera videos, playing roles like Sarastro, Osmin, and Hunding.
Awards and Special Titles
Kurt Moll won three Grammy Awards for his opera recordings. He won in 1981, 1985, and 1989. He also won a Primetime Emmy Award in 1991. This was for his performance as Hunding on the TV show Live from the Metropolitan Opera.
In Germany, he held the special title of Kammersänger. This title is given to very important and respected singers. He was a Kammersänger in Bavaria, Hamburg, and Vienna.
Retirement
Kurt Moll stopped performing on stage in 2006. His last performance was as the Nightwatchman at the Bavarian State Opera in Munich. He also taught a special singing class at Carnegie Hall in 2011.
Kurt Moll lived in Cologne with his family until he passed away.
Film
- Kurt Moll – Ein Mann, ein Bass. This is a portrait film from Germany made in 2000. It is 60 minutes long and was directed by Eckhart Schmidt.
See also
In Spanish: Kurt Moll para niños
- Mozart: Le nozze di Figaro (Georg Solti recording)
