Gregory Kunde

TENOR

Regarded as one of the most accomplished singers on the international opera stage today, the American tenor Gregory Kunde appears regularly at the most prestigious opera houses around the world, working with conductors and orchestras of the highest calibre. Kunde’s achievements have been recognised with a number of awards, most recently ‘Male Singer of the Year’ at the 2016 International Opera Awards.

Acclaimed throughout his earlier career for his performances in French and Italian bel canto roles, Kunde has now established himself as a leading exponent of many of the Verdi roles and other such dramatic repertoire. Since his critically acclaimed debut as Verdi Otello at La Fenice in 2012, he has performed this signature role in Valencia, Genoa, Salerno, Florence, Turin, Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Seoul, and São Paulo. Since moving into this repertoire, Kunde earned the unique distinction of being the only tenor in recorded history to perform both Rossini Otello and Verdi Otello in the same season (2014/15 and 2015/16).

Kunde’s recent highlights include a return to the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden for the title role Verdi Otello and Manrico Il trovatore, the title role Verdi Otello and Polline Norma at the Teatro Real, Samson Samson et Dalila and Renato Des Grieux Manon Lescaut at the Teatro Regio di Torino, Arrigo I vespri siciliani at the Palau de les Arts, Valencia, the title role Andrea Chenier at the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma and in Bilbao, Rossini’s Otello at the Gran Teatre del Liceu, Rossini’s Otello and Enée Les Troyens at the Teatro alla Scala, and Rodrigo La donna del lago at the Theater an der Wien. On the concert platform, recent highlights include Calaf Turandot with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Zubin Mehta, Das Lied von der Erde at the BBC Proms, Verdi Requiem in Bilbao, the title role Verdi Otello at the Cincinnati May Festival, title role Peter Grimes with Sir Antonio Pappano at the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia and Faust La damnation de Faust in concert at the Concertgebouw Amsterdam with Charles Dutoit.

Highlights in the 2017/18 season include Jean de Leyden Le prophète at the Deutsche Oper Berlin, Don Alvaro La forza del destino at the Semperoper Dresden, Pollione Norma for the Opéra Royal de Wallonie and in Bilbao, title role Peter Grimes at the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia, Valencia, Radames Aida at the Teatro Real, Madrid and Renato Des Grieux Manon Lescaut at the Gran Teatre del Liceu, Barcelona.

Kunde’s discography includes Berlioz Les Troyens at the Théâtre du Châtelet (Opus Arte DVD, Gramophone magazine’s ‘DVD of the Year’), Benvenuto Cellini (Virgin Classics CD, Gramophone’s ‘Opera Recording of the Year’), Benvenuto Cellini with Sir Colin Davis (LSO Live CD), and Verdi Otello from the Palazzo Ducale in Venice (Unitel DVD).

In 2017 he has released his first solo album, Vincerò! (Universal Music Group), a record that brings together some of the greatest opera arias by composers such as Verdi and Puccini.