Franz Mazura
Franz Mazura (22 April 1924 – 23 January 2020) was an
Austrian
bass-baritone opera singer and actor. He performed at the
Bayreuth Festival from 1971 for 25 years and at the
Metropolitan Opera for 15 years. He was made a
Kammersänger in 1980 and an Honorary Member of the
Nationaltheater Mannheim in 1990. He most often played villains and strange characters, with signature roles including Klingsor in Wagner's ''
Parsifal''. Mazura took part in world premieres, such as the double role of Dr. Schön and Jack the Ripper in the world premiere of the completed version of Alban Berg's ''
Lulu'' at the
Paris Opera in 1979, and as Abraham in
Giorgio Battistelli's ''Lot'' in 2017. Two of his recordings received
Grammy Awards. His voice was described as with dark timbre, powerful and like granite ("dunkel gefärbt, kräftig und wie Granit"), with perfect diction. His acting ability was described as "well-supplied with vivid imaginative touches, whether deployed in comic roles or characters of inexorable malevolence. Mazura could achieve more impact with a lifted eyebrow or a belligerently thrust chin than many artists could with a ten-minute monologue." He had a long career, appearing at the
Staatsoper Berlin the night before his 95th birthday.
Provided by Wikipedia