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’s 2023/24 season highlights include performances of Walton’s Belshazzar’s Feast with The Cleveland Orchestra and Klaus Mäkela. He sings Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde with the Stuttgarter Philharmoniker and Music Director Dan Ettinger, and later joins the Janoska Ensemble for a New Year’s Eve Gala at the Wiener Konzerthaus. He sings Mahler’s Des Knaben Wunderhorn with the Athens State Orchestra, the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra and joins the Dallas Symphony Orchestra and Fabio Luisi on their European Tour.
Highlights on the concert stage include performances with the Orchester Wiener Akademie, NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester, Orchestre National de Lyon, and Lithuanian National Symphony. He performs recitals in Kronberg, Krün, Heidelberg, and the Latvian National Opera with pianist Wolfram Rieger. He returns to Waiblingen for the annual Internationale Opernwerkstatt Waiblingen, where he leads masterclasses, and returns for the sixth edition of Schubert Week at the Pierre Boulez Saal.
Last season, Hampson made his highly anticipated 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 also starred as Creonte in a concert version of Haydn’s last opera L’anima del filosofo, ossia Orfeo ed Euridice at the Salzburg Festival. In concert, he opened the season with the New Century Chamber Orchestra, led by Daniel Hope, and joined Martha Argerich for a performance at the KKL Luzern. His performance of Walton’s Belshazzar’s Feast with Klaus Mäkela and the BBC Symphony Orchestra at the BBC Proms had The Guardian writing his “ever compelling” singing.
Hampson led several masterclasses throughout the season, including the third edition of the Internationale Opernwerkstatt Waiblingen, Heidelberger Frühling’s 2023 Liedfestival, and the fifth edition of Schubert Week at the Pierre Boulez Saal. He also led group masterclasses and individual training sessions at the second edition of Opera for Peace’s 2023 Academy in Paris.
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.
