Thomas Hampson

Bio

Long recognised as one of the most innovative musicians of our time, American baritone Thomas Hampson has received countless international honours for his singular artistry and cultural leadership. His operatic repertoire is comprised of more than 80 roles, and his discography includes more than 170 albums, with multiple nominations and winners of the GRAMMY Award, Edison Award, and the Grand Prix du Disque.

Hampson opened the 2023/24 season performing Walton's “Belshazzar's Feast" with Klaus Mäkelä and the BBC Symphony Orchestra at the BBC Proms which had The Guardian writing his "ever compelling" singing. He goes on to perform the piece with The Cleveland Orchestra and Klaus Mäkelä later this season. Hampson sings Mahler's “Des Knaben Wunderhorn” with the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra with Jaap van Zweden as well as with the Athens State Orchestra and joins the Dallas Symphony Orchestra and Fabio Luisi on their European Tour. Hampson also reunites with the Janoska Ensemble for a New Year's Eve Gala at the Wiener Konzerthaus.

Further highlights include performances of Weill’s “Four Walt Whitman Songs” with the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester and Alan Gilbert, and a semi-staged production which Hampson also directs, of Mozart’s famous opera “Così fan tutte” with the Orchestre National de Lyon and Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider. Thomas Hampson will once again return to the stage with Evgeny Kissin to perform “Address Unknown” at the Marylebone Theatre, London. In recital, he will appear in Kronberg, Krün, Heidelberg and Schloss Elmau with pianist Wolfram Rieger. Thomas Hampson will also return to Waiblingen for the annual Internationale Opernwerkstatt, where he leads masterclasses, and he returns for the sixth edition of Schubert Week at the Pierre Boulez Saal in Berlin. Hampson continues as Director of Heidelberger Frühling Liedakademie which supports singers and pianists from all over the world.

Last season also saw him return to the opera stage, where Hampson made his role debut as Richard Nixon in Adams' “Nixon in China” at Opéra national de Paris, led by Gustavo Dudamel. His debut received critical acclaim, with Res Musica hailing, "The casting, dominated by Thomas Hampson's noble, luminous voice, calls for nothing but praise." Hampson starred as Creonte in a concert version of Haydn’s last opera “L’anima del filosofo, ossia Orfeo ed Euridice” together with Cecilia Bartoli at the Salzburger Festspiele. In concert, he opened the season with the New Century Chamber Orchestra, led by Daniel Hope, and joined Martha Argerich for a performance in Lucerne.

He is an honorary professor of Philosophy at the University of Heidelberg and an honorary member of London’s Royal Academy of Music. In addition to several Honorary Doctorates, he is the Kammersänger of the Wiener Staatsoper and Commandeur de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres of the Republic of France. In 2017 he received the Hugo Wolf Medal, together with Wolfram Rieger. He is the co-Founder and Artistic Director of the Lied Academy Heidelberg, in 2003, he founded the Hampsong Foundation, through which he uses the art of song to promote intercultural dialogue and understanding. His international master class schedule is a continuing online resource of Medici.tv, the Manhattan School of Music, and The Hampsong Foundation livestream channel. Additionally, he serves as an Advisor for Opera for Peace.