Simon Keenlyside to Get High Honor From Vienna State Opera

By David Salazar

Simon Keenlyside is slated to be named a Kammersänger at the Vienna State Opera next Monday.

The baritone has performed with the company throughout the past 20 years. Among the operas he has appeared in are “Il Barbiere di Siviglia,” “Eugene Onegin,” “Le Nozze di Figaro,” “La Traviata,” “Macbeth,” “Rigoletto,” “Don Giovanni,” “La Bohème,” “Wozzeck,” “Don Carlo,” “Billy Budd,” and “The Magic Flute.” The role he has performed most with the company has been the Count in “Nozze,” which he has performed a whopping 22 times since June 18, 2001.

Second on that list is Rodrigo in Verdi’s “Don Carlo,” which has been interpreted 14 times by the Britisth baritone since Dec. 8, 2006.

His most recent set of performances with the company were in “Don Giovanni,” his last appearance on stage with the company coming on Jan. 29, 2017, according to the Vienna State Opera’s official archives.

The title of Kammersänger is given to distinguished singers of opera and classical music and historically, the title was bestowed by princes or kings. The title is given in Germany and in Austria usually on the recommendation of relevant national and local institutions.

Soprano Anna Netrebko was recently given the title of Kammersängerin a few months ago.

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