Karl Kamann

Kamann was born in Cologne. He received singing lessons from Kammersänger Max Büttner in Karlsruhe. He also trained in Milan. In 1920/21, he received his first engagement at the Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe. He then worked in Freiburg (1921 to 1924), Nuremberg (1924 to 1927), Brunswick (1927 to 1931) and Chemnitz (1931 to 1937).

In 1937, he became a member of the Vienna State Opera.{{cite web | title=Vorstellungen mit Karl Kamann | website=Spielplanarchiv der Wiener Staatsoper | url=https://archiv.wiener-staatsoper.at/search/person/1373 | language=de | access-date=10 January 2021}} There, he distinguished himself in particular as a Heldenbaritone and Wagner performer. In 1938, he made his debut under Wilhelm Furtwängler at the Salzburg Festival as Hans Sachs in Wagner's Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg. He also first sang Wotan in Wagner's Die Walküre at the Royal Opera House in London's Covent Garden. In 1952, he made his first appearance at the Bayreuth festival. In 1954, he appeared at the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino as Lysiart in Weber's Euryanthe. Further guest appearances took him to opera houses throughout Europe (Paris, Berlin, Munich, Brussels, Liège, Bordeaux, Venice, Rome, Florence, Naples, Trieste, Copenhagen, Amsterdam, London, Liverpool, Palermo, Catania, Naples, Perugia, The Hague, Barcelona) and Brazil. At the reopening of the Vienna State Opera in 1955, he sang the Minister in Beethoven's Fidelio.{{cite web | title=Karl Kamann als "Don Fernando" in "Fidelio" | website=Spielplanarchiv der Wiener Staatsoper | url=https://archiv.wiener-staatsoper.at/search/person/1373/work/59/role/623 | language=de | access-date=10 January 2021}} His last appearance was in 1958 as Borromeo in Pfitzner's Palestrina.{{cite web | title="Palestrina" am 05.11.1958 | website=Spielplanarchiv der Wiener Staatsoper | url=https://archiv.wiener-staatsoper.at/performances/3792 | language=de | access-date=10 January 2021}}

His repertoire was very extensive: In addition to Wagner operas, he sang among others Tiefland (Sebastino), Salome (Jochanaan), Königskinder (Spielmann), Wozzeck (title role), Rigoletto (title role), Aida (Amonasro), Cavalleria rusticana (Alfio), Der Rosenkavalier (Faninal), Tosca (Scarpia), La fanciulla del West (Jack Rance), Carmen (Escamillo), Les Huguenots (Nevers), Tales of Hoffmann (Demons), Boris Godunov (title role), Pelléas et Mélisande (Golo) and Jonny spielt auf (Jonny). In 1930, he performed Fritz Reuters's cantata Huttens letzte Tage at its premiere.Heinz Wegener: Bibliographie Fritz Reuter. In Ders. (Red. Bearb.): Gedenkschrift Fritz Reuter (Wissenschaftliche Zeitschrift der Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. Gesellschafts- und sprachwissenschaftliche Reihe 15 (1966) 3). {{pp.|I|VIII}}, here {{p.|III}}.

Kamann was a member of the Guild of the German Stage.[https://books.google.com/books?id=dsfq_5dFeL0C&pg=2315 Kamann, Karl] in Großes Sängerlexikon ({{p.|2315}})

His first marriage was to Lily Borsa. His second wife was the soprano Herma Schramm. In 1959, he died in the {{Ill|Hanusch Hospital|de}} in the 14th district of Vienna at the age of 59.{{cite web | title=Karl Kamann | website=Wien Geschichte Wiki | date=10 January 2021 | url=https://www.geschichtewiki.wien.gv.at/Karl_Kamann | language=de | access-date=10 January 2021}}

• 1952: Kammersänger{{cite web |first=Barbara |last=Boisits | title=Kamann, Karl | website=Oesterreichisches Musiklexikon | date=6 May 2001 | url=https://www.musiklexikon.ac.at/ml/musik_K/Kamann_Karl.xml | language=de | access-date=10 January 2021}}

• Barbara Boisits: [https://www.musiklexikon.ac.at/ml/musik_K/Kamann_Karl.xml Kamann, Karl] In Oesterreichisches Musiklexikon. Online-edition, Vienna 2002 ff., {{ISBN|3-7001-3077-5}}; Print edition: volume 2, Austrian Academy of Sciences publishing house, Vienna 2003, {{ISBN|3-7001-3044-9}}.
• Felix Czeike (ed.): Kamann, Karl. In {{Ill|Historisches Lexikon Wien|de}}. Volume 3, Kremayr & Scheriau, Vienna 1994, {{ISBN|3-218-00545-0}}, {{pp.|439|439}} (numerized, [https://www.geschichtewiki.wien.gv.at/Karl_Kamann entry] in Wien Geschichte Vienna History Wiki).
• {{Ill|Herbert A. Frenzel|de}}, Hans Joachim Moser (ed.): Kürschners biographisches Theater-Handbuch. Schauspiel, Oper, Film, Rundfunk. Deutschland, Österreich, Schweiz. de Gruyter, Berlin 1956.
• Walther Killy, Rudolf Vierhaus (ed.): Deutsche Biographische Enzyklopädie. Vol. 5: Hesselbach – Kofler. K. G. Saur Verlag, Munich 1997, {{ISBN|3-598-23165-2}}.
• Wilhelm Kosch: Deutsches Theater-Lexikon. Biographisches und bibliographisches Handbuch. Vol. 2: Hurka – Pallenberg. De Gruyter, Berlin 1960.
• Karl-Josef Kutsch, Leo Riemens: Großes Sängerlexikon. Volume 5: Kainz – Menkes. 4th expanded and updated edition, K. G. Saur Verlag, Munich 2003, {{ISBN|3-598-11598-9}}, {{p.|2315|2316}}.

{{Reflist}}

• {{DNB portal|132923424}}
• [http://www.bmlo.uni-muenchen.de/k1493 Kamann, Karl] on BMLO.
• {{Discogs artist}}
• {{IMDb name|7286765}}
• [https://archiv.wiener-staatsoper.at/search/person/1373 Vorstellungen mit Karl Kamann] im Spielplanarchiv der Wiener Staatsoper

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Category:German operatic baritones

Category:German bass-baritones

Category:1899 births

Category:1959 deaths

Category:Musicians from Cologne

Category:20th-century German male singers