Thomas Hampson

Gramophone has just announced its 2013 “Hall of Fame” inductees, and Thomas Hampson is one of seven singers to join the luminaries that began to be assembled when the magazine began the honors last year.  Among this year’s honorees are a number of artists with whom Hampson has worked with closely throughout his career, including conductors James Levine, Zubin Mehta and Mariss Jansons, as well as soprano Renée Fleming and Anna Netrebko.  Gramophone’s complete list of new inductees, and the complete “Hall of Fame” roster, can be found here: http://www.gramophone.co.uk/HallofFame

Thomas Hampson gives the world premiere of a new song commission from one of America’s principal younger composers,Mark Adamo. Scored for baritone and string quartet, Adamo’s Aristotle (2013) was written for Hampson to sing with the Jupiter String Quartet. After giving its world premiere performance together at UC Davis on Wednesday, April 24, they will tour the new work to Boston’s Celebrity Series (Fri, April 26) and the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, where they will present its New York premiere on Sunday, April 28.

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Returning to one of his favorite, signature roles, Thomas Hampson stars in concert performances of Verdi’s Simon Boccanegra that will be recorded for future release on Decca.  With Hampson in the title role, and a vibrant cast including Kristine Opolais, Carlo Colombara, Joseph Calleja and Luca Pisaroni, the performances on April 13 and 17 with the Vienna Symphony will be conducted by Massimo Zanetti at Vienna’s famed Konzerthaus.  Hampson comments, “I am very grateful that Decca and I have been able to put together this concert recording of Boccanegra.  Zanetti is a friend and a great conductor, and I’m thrilled to be able to record this opera that has meant so much to my life and career.”

Amsterdam’s legendary Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra is celebrating its 125^thanniversary this season, and this Wednesday, April 10, they mark the occasion with a special gala concert led by the orchestra’s Chief Conductor, Mariss Jansons.  Hampson has worked frequently with the orchestra, winning the coveted Concertgebouw Prize, presented by the storied venue the orchestra calls home, in 2011, as well as the conductor, whom he calls one of his closest musical friends.  “I’ll be singing three Mahler songs at the gala,” says Hampson, “a composer very closely associated with this orchestra.  In fact, I’ve sung works by Mahler many times there, including a performance of his Eighth Symphony under the direction of Bernard Haitink for their 100^th anniversary.  I’ve already promised that I would come to their 150^th anniversary, but that I would not sing!”

The concert will be webcast live on medici.tv, where it will then be available for free for the next 90 days: more information here.

Hot on the heels of acclaimed performances as Iago in the Metropolitan Opera’s Otello, Thomas Hampson heads to Germany for a week-long immersion in the art and of song.  From April 2 through 7, Hampson will be in residence at the Heidelberg Lied Academy, which debuted in March 2011 and is part of the Heidelberger Frühling Music Festival. The Academy brings together young professionals for an intensive period working with a community of expert recitalists on all aspects of song interpretation.  There are workshops, lectures and other activities, all drawing upon Heidelberg’s historic location as the embodiment of German Romanticism.  Hampson, who is artistic director of the Academy, will lead master classes and symposiums.

Hampson discusses the festival in the commentary that follows:

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