Karl-Christian Kohn

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Karl-Christian Kohn (born May 21, 1928 in Losheim am See , Saarland, † January 20, 2006 in Munich ) was a German opera singer ( bass ).

Life

After studying at the Saarbrücken University of Music from 1949 to 1952, Kohn made his debut in 1952 at the Saarbrücken City Theater (now the Saarland State Theater ) and then had engagements at the Düsseldorf Opera and in Berlin. In 1958 he became a member of the Bavarian State Opera in Munich. He was considered one of the pillars of the ensemble and appeared in over 2,500 performances. He was honored with the title of chamber singer by the Bavarian State Opera .

After the end of his stage career in 1991, he was professor of singing at the Mozarteum in Salzburg until 1998 .

He died of an injury at the age of 77.

Stage roles

Figaro was considered his star role in Mozart's Marriage of Figaro , which he sang over 400 times across Europe, including in 1958 for the festive reopening of the Cuvilliés Theater in Munich. As a guest he sang at the Vienna State Opera , the Hamburg State Opera and the Deutsche Oper Berlin . He also made guest appearances in other European countries, B. at the Paris Opera , the Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona, ​​where he received the Spanish Critics' Prize, in Brussels and Edinburgh.

He was successful in many big bass roles in Munich; Among other things, he sang Sarastro in Mozart's Magic Flute , Leporello and Komtur in Mozart's Don Giovanni , Rocco in Beethoven's Fidelio , Philipp II in Verdi's Don Carlos , Hunding in Wagner's Walküre , Escamillo in Bizet's Carmen , Ochs in Richard Strauss ' Rosenkavalier and Count Waldner in Strauss' Arabella . In a record from 1958, he sang the Grand Inquisitor in Verdi's Don Carlos alongside Gottlob Frick . The recording is considered a reference recording, although it is sung in German.

Kohn also sang in contemporary operas, including the world premiere of Werner Egks The Engagement of San Domingo .

Concert repertoire

Kohn also worked as a concert singer. Among other things, he was a regular guest at the concerts of the Munich Bach Choir under the direction of Karl Richter , who was considered the leading Bach interpreter in the Federal Republic of Germany at the time. Kohn was a regular guest at the then popular Munich Sunday concerts.

Sound carrier

Some of Kohn's operatic roles are documented on sound carriers, including Leporello in Mozart's Don Giovanni (with DG), Kaspar in Weber's Freischütz (with EMI), Tolomeo in Handel's Julius Caesar (with melodrama), Ariodate in Handel's Xerxes (with Orfeo), calendar in Gluck's Die Pilger von Mekka (at the Hamburg archive), Kühleborn in Hoffmann's Undine (at Memories), Wagner in Busoni's Doktor Faust (at DG), Mr Schwarz in Egks' engagement in San Domingo (at Orfeo), gold dealer in Hindemith's Cardillac (at DG ), Doctor in the first complete studio recording by Alban Bergs Wozzeck (direction: Karl Böhm ) (at DG), priest in Orff's Oedipus der Tyrann (at DG). Several of his concert parts have also been published on records, in addition to recordings of Bach's oratorios, the bass parts in Haydn's Timpani Mass and Mozart's Requiem .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Redaktionsbüro Harenberg: Knaurs Prominentenlexikon 1980. The personal data of celebrities from politics, economy, culture and society . With over 400 photos. Droemer Knaur, Munich / Zurich 1979, ISBN 3-426-07604-7 , Kohn, Karl Christian, p. 240 .
personal data
SURNAME Kohn, Karl-Christian
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German opera singer (bass)
DATE OF BIRTH May 21, 1928
PLACE OF BIRTH Losheim am See
DATE OF DEATH January 20, 2006
Place of death Munich