Artist Of The Week: Klaus Florian Vogt Returns To The Metropolitan Opera After A Decade

By Francisco Salazar

Klaus Florian Vogt is regarded as one of the most sought-after Wagnerian tenors his generations. He has marveled audiences with his intense lyricism and his commitment to each role he portrays. This week he returns to the Metropolitan Opera for the first time since 2006 when he made his debut in the title role of Wagner’s “Lohengrin.” This time Met audiences will see him in something a bit different.

He will portray Florestan in Beethoven’s only opera “Fidelio.” This is a role that he has already done numerous times, most notably for opening night at the Teatro alla Scala in 2014 under the direction of Daniel Barenboim. For that performance, he received rave reviews and critics noted he “brings moving innocence to the role of Florestan” and had a “nice, warm sounding and ‘human’ voice which is so important to the meaning of the work.”

Vogt went on to perform the work at the Vienna State Opera and recently at the Bayerische Staatsoper. For Met audiences not familiar with his voice, Vogt possesses a timbre that can easily ride over a huge orchestra and at the same time sing like a lyric tenor. It will be a surprise for New Yorkers who are used to a hefty voice but it will be a gift to have him back after a decade.

Once he finishes his New York run he returns to Munich for a new production of Wagner’s “Tannhauser.” He returns to the Metropolitan Opera in 2017-18 for Wagner’s “Parsifal.”

Florian Vogt has performed at all the leading operatic houses including the Bayerische Staatsoper, Royal Opera House, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Grand Theatre Liceu, and Baden-Baden. He is recognized as one of the greatest “Lohengrin” of our time and has performed the role in Bayreuth, Munich and New York. He has also sung recognized for singing the Prince in Dvorak’s “Rusalka” as well as Erik in Wagner’s “Die Fliegende Hollander.”

Recordings

For those not familiar with his voice, there are plenty of recordings available including the acclaimed “Rusalka” with Kristine Opolais and two “Lohengrin,” from Bayreuth and Baden-Baden. Audiences can also listen to his solo albums for Sony Classical which Wagner’s music. He also has recordings of Berg’s “Lulu” and Mahler’s “Das Lied Von Der Erde.”

 

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