Gottfried Helnwein | IRELAND | Ireland Special | OPERA STAR KURT RYDL PREPARING A "PARSIFAL" PRODUCTION WITH HELNWEINHelnwein and Kurt Rydl at the Studio

Kurt Rydl is one of the greatest bass singers of our time.
Born in Vienna, he studied in Vienna and Moscow.
He won 1st prize at competitions in Barcelona and Paris.

1972-1977 initial engagements in Linz and Stuttgart
Since 1976 permanent member of the
Vienna State Opera
1986 Awarded the title of “Kammersänger”
1999 Made honorary member of the
Vienna State Opera
2001 Awarded the Austrian Medal of Honour,
1st class for Art & Science
His opera repertoire comprises more than 80 roles in German, Italian, French, Russian and Czech works.
His concert repertoire ranges from Mozart to Penderecki, from Beethoven to Mahler.
A true Viennese, he endeavours to keep the traditional "Wiener Lied" alive and also enjoys singing musical songs (e.g. « If I were a rich man »).
He took the initiative to record the CD « Christmas with World Stars » with the Three Tenors and other well-known artists. This recording is just one of more than 30 CDs, which will convince you of the quality of Kurt Rydl’s voice. (See also Discography ).
Since 1972 he has been giving 90 - 100 performances per season.
He has made guest appearances at all the world’s most famous opera houses.
Festivals:
Bayreuth, Bregenz, Edinburgh, Munich, Salzburg, Verona

Stage and Costumes: Gottfried Helnwein
Director: Maximilian Schell

08. March 2006
Israeli Opera
Tel Aviv
Der Rosenkavalier - Selected Reviews

"There has never been a production with such a quality around: amazing singing, brilliant direction, a shining orchestra and a magical set. The Israeli Opera is at its amazing best. Kurt Rydl only opens his mouth and he brings the house down. It is not only his great voice, it is his humor, his style, his singing. Soprano Nancy Weissbach (the Marschallin) touches heaven with her voice. It is a voice of a stylized diamond. Stephanie Houtzell has a charming stage presence with a voice that is no less beautiful than Agnes Baltsa. And a new star is born: Israeli soprano Chen Reiss (Sophie) projects a crystal clear voice. Maximilian Shell managed to puts a grain of sadness into the comic side of the opera and for a moment it seemed like Gottfried Helnwein’s magical set will start to sing as well..."

For his last opera, Wagner dug into German and Christian legends and, in his inimitable fashion, created in Parsifal an allegory on the conflict between Christianity and paganism, good and evil, light and dark, physical passion and spiritual abstinence. It is rich in allusions and symbolism and will no doubt keep scholars happily employed for generations to come, studying the sources and the ways that Wagner drew them together into this extraordinary work.
Despite the difficulties of its layered literary trappings, obscure references, and daunting length, Parsifal's movingly lyrical music well rewards the intrepid opera-goer who is up to the challenge.
Two relics focus the human and spiritual concerns of the work: the Holy Grail, a vessel from which Jesus drank and which also held his blood, and the Sacred Spear, used by a Roman soldier on Jesus, here a weapon of defense against nonbelievers. Amfortas leads a community of knights that protects the Holy Grail. He suffers mightily from a wound inflicted by Klingsor, a sorcerer and sworn enemy. Klingsor had employed Kundry to seduce Amfortas, leading to the loss of the Spear to Klingsor, and the subsequent wounding.
This has all happened before the curtain rises. Wagner's overture, with drum rolls, brass fanfares, ethereal strings, and his long-lined themes, sets a grand and serious tone. A hero must be found, according to prophesy, one who is innocent and ignorant of evil. Parsifal arrives on the scene and survives both Kundry's attempt to seduce him and Klingsor's aggression, to finally bring redemption to the good guys. There is, then, a focused plot line and an interesting group of characters, each reflecting a different aspect of the conflicts between good and evil, faith and faithlessness, all glued together with the powerful density of Wagner's music...

(Excerpt) Arthur Lazere, San Francisco, July 2, 2000


		15. August 2006 OPERA STAR KURT RYDL PREPARING A "PARSIFAL" PRODUCTION WITH HELNWEIN One of the greatest bass singers of our time visits the Irish Studio


		"...FOR A MOMENT IT SEEMED LIKE GOTTFRIED HELNWEIN’S MAGICAL SET WILL START TO SING AS WELL." 08. March 2006 Israeli Opera Tel Aviv Der Rosenkavalier - Selected Reviews


		Parsifal - Richard Wagner For his last opera, Wagner dug into German and Christian legends and, in his inimitable fashion, created in Parsifal an allegory on the conflict between Christianity and paganism, good and evil, light and dark, physical passion and spiritual abstinence. It is rich in allusions and symbolism and will no doubt keep scholars happily employed for generations to come, studying the sources and the ways that Wagner drew them together into this extraordinary work. Despite the difficulties of its layered literary trappings, obscure references, and daunting length, Parsifal's movingly lyrical music well rewards the intrepid opera-goer who is up to the challenge. Two relics focus the human and spiritual concerns of the work: the Holy Grail, a vessel from which Jesus drank and which also held his blood, and the Sacred Spear, used by a Roman soldier on Jesus, here a weapon of defense against nonbelievers. Amfortas leads a community of knights that protects the Holy Grail. He suffers mightily from a wound inflicted by Klingsor, a sorcerer and sworn enemy. Klingsor had employed Kundry to seduce Amfortas, leading to the loss of the Spear to Klingsor, and the subsequent wounding. This has all happened before the curtain rises. Wagner's overture, with drum rolls, brass fanfares, ethereal strings, and his long-lined themes, sets a grand and serious tone. A hero must be found, according to prophesy, one who is innocent and ignorant of evil. Parsifal arrives on the scene and survives both Kundry's attempt to seduce him and Klingsor's aggression, to finally bring redemption to the good guys. There is, then, a focused plot line and an interesting group of characters, each reflecting a different aspect of the conflicts between good and evil, faith and faithlessness, all glued together with the powerful density of Wagner's music...