German opera star retires at 68
NewsThe countertenor Jochen Kowalski will sing his final performance tonight.
The Staatsoper Unter den Linden writes:
The career of Berlin Kammersänger Jochen Kowalski began at the Komische Oper Berlin. His roles, many in productions by Harry Kupfer, made him popular worldwide and guest appearances have taken him to all the leading opera houses in Germany as well as to the Vienna State Opera and Volksoper, the Opéra national de Paris, the Royal Opera House Covent Garden and the Metropolitan Opera in New York. He is considered a pioneer of countertenor singing in Germany and his artistic work has been honored with many national and international awards. At tonight’s performance of Monteverdi’s L’INCORONAZIONE DI POPPEA, this wonderful singer will give his stage farewell – we celebrate him and thank him for his singing and the many wonderful musical moments.
His performances at Covent Garden in the Komische Oper production of Orfeo ed Euridice were heart-rending and unforgettable
Unforgettable in Harry Kupfer’s version of Gluck’s ”Orfeo ed Euridice” ( ROH, 1991)
The only contemporary countertenor I really love.
Pity I never listened to him live!
Wünsche Herrn Kammersänger Kowalski happy forthcoming times!
And a grand farewell it was – standing ovations, flowers, speeches (he commented “I wanted to sing Siegfried, Lohengrin, Tristan, and finished by singing an old woman”), a world-class cast and orchestra, with two of the best countertenors on stage with him.
Bravo Jochen!