Birth

:

April 17, 1938

Death

:

March 5, 2017 in Köln, Germany

Genre

:

Opera

 

Kurt Moll was a German bass opera singer who was born on April 11, 1938, in Buir, Germany. He was the youngest of six children and grew up in a musical family. His father was a church organist, and his mother was a choir singer. Moll began singing in his church choir at a young age and showed a natural talent for music. Moll studied at the Cologne Musikhochschule and made his professional debut in 1962 at the Wuppertal Opera as the Night Watchman in Richard Wagner's Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg. He quickly gained recognition for his powerful voice and commanding stage presence, and he soon became one of the most sought-after bass singers in the world. Moll's repertoire included a wide range of roles, from Mozart's Figaro to Wagner's Wotan. He was particularly renowned for his performances in the operas of Richard Wagner, and he sang the role of Hagen in Wagner's Götterdämmerung more than 200 times throughout his career. Moll made his debut at the Bayreuth Festival in 1969, singing the role of Fasolt in Wagner's Das Rheingold. He went on to perform at the festival for more than 20 years, singing a variety of roles in Wagner's operas. He also performed at many of the world's leading opera houses, including the Metropolitan Opera, the Royal Opera House in London, and the Paris Opera. Throughout his career, Moll received numerous awards and honors for his contributions to classical music. In 1982, he was awarded the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, and in 1997, he was awarded the Bavarian Order of Merit. He was also a recipient of the Herbert von Karajan Music Prize and the Echo Klassik Award. One of Moll's most memorable performances was his portrayal of the title character in Mozart's Don Giovanni at the Salzburg Festival in 1987. His performance was widely praised for its depth and nuance, and it cemented his reputation as one of the greatest bass singers of his generation. Moll continued to perform well into his seventies, and he remained an active advocate for classical music throughout his life. He passed away on March 5, 2017, at the age of 78, leaving behind a legacy as one of the most beloved and respected bass singers in the history of classical music.

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