Martti Talvela
Martti Talvela ( born February 4, 1935 in Hiitola; † July 22, 1989 in Juva ) was a Finnish opera singer ( bass). He remains the operatic world not only for its artistic achievements, but also by his stature (201 cm body size at up to 150 kilograms ) in memory. He had a very bulky, flexible and above all sounded beautiful voice that allowed him to sing the entire bass part. So he could equally lyrical roles ( Sarastro Gremin, Pimen ) as well as in dramatic roles ( Boris Godunov, King Marke ) convince. It was also known Thither his art of sinking and falling over, such as dying Boris, Fasolt and Hunding, which reminded at its scenic presence at the falls an oak tree.
Talvela was then formed in Lahti in Stockholm. In 1960 he made his debut in Helsinki in 1961 to 1962 he was engaged at the Stockholm Opera and subsequently joined the ensemble of the Deutsche Oper Berlin. From 1962, he sang regularly in Bayreuth (also Titurel and Fafner ), also some Italian areas (eg Grand Inquisitor, Sparafucile ). In 1970 he took over as artistic director of the Savonlinna Opera Festival, which had been revived in 1967.
Talvela took shortly before his death, emaciated, an expressive recording of Schubert's Winterreise on, in which he showed his skills for the last time as a lieder singer.
Discography (selection)
- With Herbert von Karajan: Das Rheingold ( Fasolt ), Die Walküre ( Hunding ), Boris Godunov ( Pimen )
- With Karl Böhm: Tristan and Isolde ( King Mark ), Fidelio ( Don Fernando ), Don Giovanni ( Commendatore )
- With Karl Böhm: The Abduction from the Seraglio ( Osmin ) - Gruberova, Grist, Araiza (DVD)
- With Georg Solti: The Magic Flute ( Sarastro ), The Abduction from the Seraglio ( Osmin )
- With Hans Knappertsbusch: Parsifal ( Titurel )
- With James Levine: The Magic Flute ( Sarastro ), Parsifal ( Titurel )
- With Jerzy Semkow: Boris Godunov ( Boris Godunov )
- With Otto Gerdes: Eugene Onegin ( Gremin )
Source
- Brockhaus Riemann music encyclopedia, 1995. Volume 4, page 225