WOLFGANG BRENDEL
German baritone & teacher Wolfgang Brendel
is widely viewed as one of the greatest baritones of his generation — starting with his debut at the Bavarian State Opera at the behest of the legendary conductor Carlos Kleiber. Brendel sang the greatest roles of opera — from Mozart’s Count Almaviva to Wagner’s Hans Sachs — on the international stages of the world to consistent acclaim, not only for his matinee-idol flair but for the penetrating artistry that enabled him to make these complex roles his own.
For most of his performing career, his artistic home was the Bavarian State Opera in Munich, where he was closely associated with Kleiber and Wolfgang Sawallisch, and where he became the youngest Kammersänger in the history of the company in 1977. But he was also a regular guest at the Metropolitan Opera (where he made his debut at the age of 27), the San Francisco Opera, Chicago Lyric Opera, Deutsche Oper Berlin, and La Scala.
"A tremendous asset."
"Wolfgang Brendel is one of the outstanding artists of his generation, that rare singer who understands both vocal technique and artistry, and knows how to combine them to brilliant effect. Equally rarely, he’s also a gifted teacher who is able to communicate his knowledge to others. It’s hard for me to recommend Wolfgang highly enough: as a singer, a vocal pedagogue, and a font of operatic lore and knowledge, he is a tremendous asset to anyone in the field of opera who is fortunate enough to work with him."
ANNE MIDGETTE
Former chief classical music critic, The Washington Post
