Zoltán Kelemen (baritone)

Zoltán Kelemen ( born March 12, 1926 in Budapest, † May 9, 1979 in Zurich ) was a Hungarian bass-baritone.

He began his vocal studies in Budapest, Hungary but soon left and continued his studies in Rome continued. From 1959 he lived in Germany, first in Augsburg ( until 1962 ), then in Cologne. In 1962 he made ​​his debut as Alberich at the Bayreuth Festival. This role has been internationally his trademark, and he is next to Gustav Neidlinger as one of its best exponents. In 1965 he was part of the premiere ensemble of Bernd Alois Zimmermann's opera Die Soldaten, in which he sang the Wesener.

Around 1970 was Zoltán Kelemen 's favorite bass-baritone Herbert von Karajan, who, and with him, inter alia, Fidelio (as Don Pizarro ), the ring ( Alberich ), Boris Godunov (as Rangoni ), The Mastersingers of Nuremberg (as Fritz Kothner ) The Merry Widow (as Mirko Zeta) recorded. Kelemen also sang Klingsor in Parsifal Georg Solti's and repeatedly Alberich under the baton of Pierre Boulez Bayreuth.

Kelemen had an enormous vocal range that enabled him, both from the lowest bass range ( Osmin in The Abduction from the Seraglio and Ochs in Der Rosenkavalier ) to high exposure ( Alberich in the Twilight of the Gods ) versatile needs to meet. He personified demonic figures ( Commendatore in Don Giovanni) as well as comedic characters ( Bartolo in Le Nozze di Figaro ). His Hungarian accent you took as adorable in purchasing. Occasionally he is accused today of having his roles " too beautiful " sung. In fact, he exudes as Alberich or as Don Pizarro a lyrical warmth and elegance that would not quite fit the objectives of the present director's theater.