Finnish Bass-Baritone Tom Krause Is Dead At 79

Portrait of an Artist: Tom Krause

"Tom Gunnar Krause (July 5, 1934 − December 5, 2013) was a Finnish operatic bass-baritone, particularly associated with Mozart roles. Born in Helsinki, he first studied medicine, while singing and playing the guitar in a jazz band. His vocal talent led him to leave his medical studies for serious voice studies at the Vienna Music Academy where he was a pupil of Margot Skoda, Sergio Nazor, and Rudolf Bautz. He made his operatic debut in Berlin, as Escamillo, in 1959, and quickly gained a reputation in opera and concert throughout Germany and Scandinavia. He joined the Hamburg State Opera, where he sang mostly Mozart, Verdi, and Wagner roles, but also such rarities as Rossini's La pietra del paragone and Handel's Jephtha. He began making guest appearances in Munich, Amsterdam, and Brussels, and made his debut in Bayreuth, as the Herald in Lohengrin, in 1962. His English debut took place in 1963, at the Glyndebourne Festival as the Count in Capriccio. His American debut in 1967, at the Metropolitan Opera as the Count in The Marriage of Figaro, received an ovation. From 1968 on, he appeared regularly at the Salzburg Festival, notably as Don Giovanni and Guglielmo. The year 1973 saw him making

A multitude of recordings is left as Mr. Krause's legacy

debut at the Opéra de Paris, the Royal Opera House in London, and La Scala in Milan. His wide repertory included lead baritone roles in opera such as L'elisir d'amore, Don Pasquale, Rigoletto, La traviata, Fidelio, Tannhäuser, Tristan und Isolde, La bohème, Andrea Chénier, Faust, and Carmen. He took part in the premiere of Krenek's Der Goldene Brock in 1964, and of Searle's Hamlet, in 1968, both in Hamburg. Krause was also very active as a recitalist of German Lieder, as well as songs by Mussorgsky, Sibelius, and Mahler. He has released many recordings, including an acclaimed collection of the complete songs of Sibelius. He was a National Patron of Delta Omicron, an international professional music fraternity. He died in December 2013, aged 79." [Source] Listen to sound clips of the bass-baritone singing Schumann, Bizet, Verdi, and Sibelius, after the jump. 

"Im wunderschönen Monat Mai" Dichterliebe, Op. 48 (Schumann)


"Votre toast, je peux vous le rendre" Carmen (Bizet)


"Ella giammai m'amo" Don Carlo (Verdi)


"Souda souda sinisorsa" and "Narciss" (Sibelius)