Regarded as one of the most elegant and accomplished singers on the opera stage today, Gregory Kunde continues to earn acclaim for his sensitive phrasing, impeccable style and dramatic command of the most demanding Italian and French operatic roles. He has appeared regularly at the world’s most notable venues, including the Metropolitan Opera, Carnegie Hall, Houston Grand Opera, Opéra Bastille, Théatre du Châtelet, Théatre des Champs Elysées, Concertgebouw in Amsterdam and the Sydney Opera House. He has collaborated with many outstanding conductors and stage directors, including Richard Bonynge, Riccardo Muti, Zubin Mehta, Plasson, Georges Prêtre, Simon Rattle, Antonio Pappano, Charles Dutoit, John Eliot Gardiner Colin Davis, Luca Ronconi, Pier Luigi Pizzi and Graham Vick.
Acclaimed throughout his career for his performances in French and Italian bel canto roles, Kunde has more recently earned a formidable reputation in Verdi and other dramatic repertoire. Since his critically acclaimed debut as Verdi’s Otello at La Fenice in 2012, he has performed this signature role in Valencia, Genoa, Salerno, Florence, Turin, Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Seoul and São Paulo. Other Verdi debuts in recent seasons include Arrigo (I vespri siciliani) and Riccardo (Un ballo in maschera) in Turin, Radames (Aida) in São Paulo, and Don Alvaro (La forza del destino) in Valencia. In the 2012-13 season, Kunde earned the unique distinction of being the only tenor in recorded history to perform both Rossini’s Otello and Verdi’s Otello in the same season – something he repeated last season and will do again this season.
Highlights of the current season include his debut at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden as Manrico (Il trovatore); his role debut in the title role of Donizetti’s Roberto Devereux in Madrid and Bilbao; Verdi’s Otello in Seville and Cincinnati; Rossini’s Otello at the Gran Teatre del Liceu; the title roles of both Idomeneo and Samson et Dalila in Valencia; and Des Grieux (Manon Lescaut) in Bilbao.
Engagements last season included Verdi’s Otello in São Paulo, Peralada and Seville; Rossini’s Otello at La Scala; Radames (Aida) at Arena de Verona; Pollione (Norma) at Gran Teatre del Liceu and La Fenice; and role debuts as Rodolfo (Luisa Miller) in Liège, Turriddu (Cavalleria Rusticana) and Canio (Pagliacci) in Bilbao and Manrico (Il trovatore) at La Fenice.
Kunde’s rich discography includes Berlioz’s Les Troyens at the Théâtre du Châtelet (Opus Arte DVD, Gramophone magazine’s ‘DVD of the Year’), Berlioz’s Benvenuto Cellini (Virgin Classics CD, Gramophone's ‘Opera Recording of the Year’), Benvenuto Cellini with Sir Colin Davis (LSO Live CD), and Verdi’s Otello from the Palazzo Ducale inVenice (Unitel DVD).
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