József Simándy

József Simándy ( born September 18, 1916 in Kistarcsa, † March 3, 1997 in Budapest) was a Hungarian opera singer in the vocal category Tenor.

Life

József Simándy worked after completing his schooling until 1939 as a car mechanic in a garage and driving a taxi to earn his living. He then took first private singing lessons at the famous opera singer and alto Emília Posszert ( 1893-1973 ). From 1940 Simándy was a member of the choir of the Hungarian State Opera in Budapest. Later he graduated from 1943 to 1945 vocal training at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest. His debut as an opera singer was in 1946 at the Opera House ( National Theatre) from Szeged as Don José in the opera Carmen by Georges Bizet.

In February 1947, Simándy appeared as Don José and as Turiddu in Cavalleria rusticana at the Hungarian State Opera in Budapest. He then became first tenor committed to the Hungarian State Opera House, the member of the ensemble he remained until 1982. In October 1948, he sang the Budapest Opera, the title role in Richard Wagner's opera Lohengrin romantic in a now legendary performance under the direction of Otto Klemperer. After Simándys impressive interpretation of the Grail story in the 3rd lift the audience interrupted the presentation and applauded initially long to enforce a da capo. Klemperer subsequently left out of annoyance in the short term, the conductor's podium, but returned after a break and conducted the performance to end. In November 1948 he sang his first Radames at the Budapest Opera, in a performance under the guidance of the then Principal Conductor Georg Solti.

From 1956 to 1960, Simándy a guest contract with the Bavarian State Opera in Munich. He also appeared in some roles he had never sung in Hungary: as Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor, as Alfredo in La Traviata and as Rinuccio in Gianni Schicchi.

1957 Simándy sang at the Vienna State Opera Don José. In May 1957, he sang in Holland together with Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Nan Merriman and Heinz Rehfuss, again under the baton of Otto Klemperer, the tenor solo in the Missa Solemnis by Ludwig van Beethoven. In July 1963, he jumped overnight at the open-air theater in Szeged short notice for the indisposed tenor Bruno Prevedi as a Manrico, a role that had long not sung the Simándy at that time more than a year.

In 1977 he sang at the Stadttheater Baden in Baden near Vienna, the tenor solo in the Ninth Symphony by Ludwig van Beethoven in a performance with the Musicians' Orchestra of Lower Austria and Vienna Singing Club under the direction of Carl Melles.

In May 1980, Simándy took in the Erkel Theatre in Budapest with the title role in Giuseppe Verdi's Otello officially bid farewell to the opera stage. After his official farewell stage József Simándy occurred again in 1984 on the occasion of the centenary of the Budapest Opera House. He sang a musical scene of the title character from the opera Bánk bán of Ferenc Erkel.

As a concert singer he was still active as an artist, he sang example, in 1985, almost still in full possession of his vocal abilities, in Budapest Robert Schumann's song cycle Dichterliebe.

From 1978 to 1986, Simándy professor at the Academy of Music Budapest. In 1983 he published his autobiography under the title Bánk bán elmodja.

For his artistic merits Simándy has won several awards. In 1953 he was awarded the Kossuth Prize. In 1964 he was awarded the title of "Outstanding Artist of the Hungarian People's Republic " (Magyar Köztársaság Kiváló Művésze ). In 1996 he received the Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary ( Magyar A Köztársasági Érdemrend középkeresztje a csillaggal ).

In German-speaking József Simándy often occurred even under the spellings Simándy Josef and Josef Simandi.

Repertoire

Simándy sang the great lyric and lyric- dramatic tenor roles of the compartment. Very early was added also the subject of the young tenor hero with him. He took over operatic roles of Giuseppe Verdi ( Manrico, Riccardo, Gabriele Adorno, Don Carlo, Radames, Otello ) and Richard Wagner (Erik, Lohengrin, Walther von Stolzing ). In the German specialist he sang Tamino and Florestan. In the Hungarian repertoire he played the title roles in the operas and Hunyadi László Bánk bán of Ferenc Erkel. Other roles were Lenski in Eugene Onegin, Hans in The Bartered Bride, Canio in Pagliacci Cavaradossi in Tosca and.

Simándy was an intermediate compartment tenor with considerable Spintoqualität whose supple through powerful voice and the heroes compartment ( Otello ) overcame respectable.

Simándy was also active as a concert singer. He sang especially repeatedly songs by Béla Bartók and Zoltán Kodály. Because of its bright, easy height he was considered to be an excellent operetta singer. With Erzsebet Hazy he sang duets from operettas by Franz Lehár and Emmerich Kálmán. He also interpreted Hungarian gypsy music.

The passed on through radio broadcasts, live recordings and records of musical work of József Simándy was partially re-released in recent years also on CD.