Philip Kraus

Philip Kraus

Philip Kraus (born November 17, 1950) is an American operatic baritone and stage director known for his performances with the Lyric Opera of Chicago, starting in 1991, and for his co-founding of Light Opera Works, a professional light opera company in Chicago, in 1980.

Early training

Kraus was born in New York City where he received early musical training. As a child, he developed a keen interest in the works of Gilbert and Sullivan. In addition to singing, he also composed music and conducted choirs.

Kraus studied music education at Northwestern University and eventually earned a Doctor of Music in Applied Voice from that institution in 1986. He studied voice with tenor Walter Carringer, choral music with Margaret Hillis, and opera with Robert Gay, a disciple of Boris Goldovsky. He participated in the 1974 American premiere of Sir Michael Tippett's The Knot Garden at Northwestern, singing the role of Mangus.[1]

Operatic and concert career

In 1979, Kraus made his professional debut singing the role of the Vicar in Benjamin Britten's Albert Herring with the Chicago Opera Theater.[2] He later played the title role in Gianni Schicchi with the company.[3] With the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, in 1979, he sang in Handel's Dettingen Te Deum and the Chicago premiere of American composer Russell Woollen's In Martyrium Memoriam.[4] Also in 1979, he recorded the role of Zweiter Gefangene in Beethoven's Fidelio with the CSO, conducted by Sir Georg Solti.[5]

Kraus began a long association as soloist with the Grant Park Concerts in Chicago in 1979, performing Haydn's Mass in Time of War under conductor Thomas Peck.[6] He followed this singing Elgar's The Kingdom, under Leonard Slatkin, in 1981.[7] Kraus went on to sing with other American orchestras, including the Cleveland Orchestra,[8]Dallas Symphony, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra,[9] and many others, working with conductors Erich Leinsdorf, Eduardo Mata, Bruno Bartoletti,[10] Zdeněk Mácal,[11] Andrew Davis,[12] James Conlon,[13] David Zinman,[14] Claudio Abbado, James Levine,[15] Lukas Foss,[16] Mark Elder, Anton Coppola,[17] Gisele Ben-Dor,[18] and Marin Alsop.[19] He has been a soloist at the Handel Week Festival in Oak Park, Illinois several times,[20] at Mahlerfest in Boulder, Colorado (2001),[21] and sang Felix Mendelssohn's Elijah in 1996 with New Oratorio Singers.[22]

Kraus joined the roster of the Lyric Opera of Chicago for the 1990 season and has remained with the company for many seasons. His roles with the company include Jose Castro in La fanciulla del West (1991), Antonio in The Marriage of Figaro (1992), Micah in The Bartered Bride (1993), Alcindoro in La bohème (1993), the Sacristan in Tosca (1994), Elder MacLean in Susannah (1994),[23] various supporting roles in Candide (1994),[24] Amantio di Nicolao in Gianni Schicchi (1996), Southern Senator in Amistad (1997; world premiere, by composer Anthony Davies), Helmsman in Tristan und Isolde (1999),[25] Meyer Wolfshiem in The Great Gatsby (2000), the Mayor in Jenůfa (2000), Abe Kaplan in Street Scene (2001),[26] Ratcliffe in Billy Budd (2002), Baron Douphol in La Traviata (2003),[27] Benoit/Antonio in The Marriage of Figaro (2003),[28] and Harashta in The Cunning Little Vixen (2004).[29] In the company's 2007-08 season, he played Baron Douphol in La Traviata.[30] In 2010, he played Pish-Tush in The Mikado.[31] The Wall Street Journal said that he brought "appropriate snark" to the role.[32]

In 1995, he sang the title role in Verdi's Rigoletto with Minnesota Opera, and in 1994 sang the Vicar in Albert Herring with Cleveland Opera.[33] He also sang the Sacristan in Tosca with that company in 2002[34] Recently he joined the roster of the Los Angeles Opera in 2006 singing Baron Duphol in La Traviata in a cast that included Renée Fleming.[35] The production was broadcast by radio station WFMT in Los Angeles.[36] In 2007, Kraus portrayed the composer Antonio Salieri in a concert production of Rimsky-Korsakov's Mozart and Salieri.[37]

Light Opera Works

Kraus, after having been involved with the Northwestern University Gilbert and Sullivan Guild as director, co-founded Light Opera Works in 1980,[38] one of only a few professional companies devoted to the operetta genre in the United States. He served as Artistic Director for 19 seasons directing 38 mainstage productions. Under his artistic direction the company produced Chicago premieres and revivals of Orpheus in the Underworld (1881), The Beautiful Galatea (1982), Naughty Marietta (1983), Utopia, Limited (1984), The Gypsy Baron (1985), The Grand Duke (1992), The Grand Duchess of Gerolstein (1986),[39] Die Fledermaus (1986, 1995),[40] The Chocolate Soldier (1987),[41] Wiener Blut (1989), Babes in Toyland (1993),[42] La Vie parisienne (1984), The Golden Apple (1995), The Czardas Princess (1990) and Emmerich Kalman's little-known The Duchess of Chicago (1998).[43] While Kraus was artistic director, the company also produced stage works of Kurt Weill, including Lady in the Dark (1989), Knickerbocker Holiday (1992), and One Touch of Venus (1997), some of which had been little seen by modern audiences. He also produced all 13 extant Gilbert and Sullivan comic operas during his tenure with company.

Director, translator and educator

Kraus served as resident stage director for the Pamiro Opera in Green Bay, Wisconsin from 1988 to 1996, directing productions of L'Italiana in Algeri (1988),[44] The Merry Widow (1989),[45] The Daughter of the Regiment (1990),[46]Die Fledermaus (1991),[47] The Magic Flute (1992),[48] La Traviata (1993),[49] Madama Butterfly (1994),[50] Rigoletto (1995),[51] and the world premiere of Gordon Parmentier's The Lost Dauphin (2000), which was videotaped by Wisconsin Public Television for broadcast.[52]

For the Chicago Cultural Center, he directed Poulenc's The Breasts of Tiresias in 2000 and Mozart's The Impresario in 2001[53] for which he prepared the English translation. At the Lyric Opera Cleveland, he directed Patience, by Gilbert and Sullivan, in 2002,[54] and The Mikado in 2004, in his 1986 Elizabethan concept.[55]

Kraus has prepared several English singing translations of operas and operettas in collaboration with lyricist Gregory Opelka. These include Oscar Straus' The Chocolate Soldier[56] and A Waltz Dream [57] and Kalman's The Duchess of Chicago.[58] Other translations include La Serva Padrona, Orpheus in the Underworld, Gianni Schicchi, Suor Angelica, The Coronation of Poppea and The Land of Smiles.

From 1982 to 1987, Kraus served as the Director of the De Paul University Opera Theater in Chicago.[59] He then taught applied voice at De Paul from 1993 to 1999.[60] From 1999-2002 Kraus served as the Director of Opera at Roosevelt University in Chicago.[61] Kraus has been a Lecturer at Northwestern University School of music in the opera program since 2005,[62] and he teaches at North Park University in Chicago as well.

References

  1. ↑ Review of The Knot Garden by Alan Swanson in Opera News, April 13, 1974 p. 23
  2. ↑ "'Albert Herring' warm, tuneful and humorous", by Valerie Scher; review of Albert Herring in the Chicago Sun Times, April 13, 1979
  3. ↑ Undated review of Gianni Schicchi from the Memphis Flyer interactive website (Issue 582)
  4. ↑ Chicago Symphony Orchestra Program Booklet, 88th Season, 15th Subscription Week, Jan. 25-27, 1979
  5. ↑ Lists cast of recording of Fidelio
  6. ↑ "Grant Park Chorus lifts voices in Edwardian fest", by John Von Rhein; review of Haydn Mass in the Chicago Tribune, Aug. 18, 1979
  7. ↑ "Levine puts passion in CSO's 'Onegin'", by John Von Rhein; review in the Chicago Tribune, July 1981 (includes a review of the Grant Park performance of The Kingdom)
  8. ↑ Rosenberg, Donald. "H.M.S. Pinafore given smooth sailing", The Plain Dealer, Aug. 3, 1993
  9. ↑ Boris Godunov in 1997
  10. ↑ "'Bartered Bride' lacks the elements", by John Von Rhein; review in the Chicago Tribune, Oct. 12, 1992, p. 14
  11. ↑ Review in the Chicago Tribune, dated August 7, 1990
  12. ↑ "Singers, staging enhance Lyric's 'Figaro'", by Joseph Cunniff; review in the Hyde Park Herald, Oct. 23, 1991
  13. ↑ Epoch Times review: "La Traviata – World Renowned Cast"
  14. ↑ "Opera Alfresco", by Ted Shen; review of La Traviata in The Reader Aug. 14, 1982
  15. ↑ "Kinetic force, opera stars make oratorio entertaining at Ravinia", by John Von Rhein: review in the Chicago Tribune, July 10, 1978
  16. ↑ "Foss, MSO deliver spirit of Requiem", by Tom Strini; review in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Jan.20, 1996
  17. ↑ "Coppola keeps Verdi straight, but the artistry does sink in", by Clarke Bustard'; review in the Richmond Times-Dispatch, March 17, 1997 p. E5
  18. ↑ "'Verdi Requiem' given powerful performances by SB Symphony", by Kenneth E. Bartlett; review in the Valley Voice, May 24, 1995
  19. ↑ "CSO Chorus sines as it pays homage to Mozart", by Marc Shulgold; review in the Rocky Mountain News, March 16, 1996
  20. ↑ Handel Week Festival listing of soloists
  21. ↑ Information from the Mahlerfest website
  22. ↑ Note on the Elijah performance
  23. ↑ Skrebneski, Victor. Bravi: Lyric Opera of Chicago Abbeville Publishing Group, New York (1994) ISBN 1-55859-771-9. Gives dates of performances by Kraus from 1991 to 1994.
  24. ↑ review of Candide in Opera News
  25. ↑ Information from Lyric Opera website re: 1990-99 seasons
  26. ↑ review of Street Scene
  27. ↑ Information from Lyric Opera website re: 2000-04 seasons
  28. ↑ Fanfaire website listing for Marriage of Figaro
  29. ↑ Reviews of The Cunning Little Vixen
  30. ↑ From the Lyric Opera website
  31. ↑ Johnson, Lawrence A. "A largely enjoyable Mikado this, at Lyric Opera". Chicago Classical Review, December 7, 2010
  32. ↑ Waleson, Heidi. "Taking Gilbert & Sullivan Seriously". The Wall Street Journal, January 12, 2011
  33. ↑ Rosenberg, Donald. "Britten's "Albert Herring' is the operatic catch of the day", The Plain Dealer, April 10, 1994
  34. ↑ Information from the FanFaire website listing for Tosca
  35. ↑ See this review of La Traviata in Epoch Times.com. See also this review of the production in Variety.
  36. ↑ WFMT's website
  37. ↑ Announcement of the concert
  38. ↑ Article noting milestones in Chicago theatre
  39. ↑ Article on Grand Duchess (not free)
  40. ↑ Assistant director's resume mentions that Kraus directed this production
  41. ↑ Article on The Chocolate Soldier (not free)
  42. ↑ Lists Babes in Toyland and Iolanthe directed by Kraus
  43. ↑ Article on The Duchess of Chicago (not free)
  44. ↑ "Pamiro delights full house", review of L'Italiana in Algeri by Terence O'Grady in the Green Bay Press-Gazette, September 24, 1988
  45. ↑ "Merry Widow" is a Pamiro Pleaser", review of The Merry Widow by Terence O'Grady in the Green Bay Press-Gazette September 18, 1989
  46. ↑ "'Daughter" delights eye and ear", review by Michael Bent in the Appleton Post-Crescent September 1990
  47. ↑ "Solid performances let audience soar with 'The Bat'", review by Terence O'Grady in the Green Bay Press-Gazette, September 16, 1991
  48. ↑ "'The Magic Flute' performs magic throughout opera", review by Terence O'Grady in the Green Bay Press-Gazette, September 1992
  49. ↑ "Pamiro brings arias to the area", review of La Traviata by Michael Bent in the Appleton Post-Crescent, September 14, 1993 p. D-5
  50. ↑ "Pamiro Opera Growing in Stature", review of Madama Butterfly by Erik Eriksson in the Door County Advocate, September 15, 1994 Section 1 p. 14
  51. ↑ "Pamiro, baritone soar in updated 'Rigoletto'", review by Terence O'Grady in the Green Bay Press-Gazette, Oct. 1, 1995 p. B-5
  52. ↑ "'Lost Dauphin' an extraordinary find", review by Erik Eriksson in the Green Bay News-Chronicle May 26, 2000, Variety Section p. 26 (note: this review mentions that the opera was recorded for both public radio and public television.)
  53. ↑ Performer resume mentions that Kraus directed the production
  54. ↑ Review of Patience
  55. ↑ Review of this concept production of The Mikado
  56. ↑ Review of North Star Opera's The Chocolate Soldier with Kraus' libretto
  57. ↑ A Waltz Dream reviewed by Kathleen Tobin in The Beverly Review, July 15, 1992
  58. ↑ Information about a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania production of Duchess in 2007
  59. ↑ Bulletin, p. 269
  60. ↑ Performer resume mentions Kraus teaching voice at DePaul
  61. ↑ p. 320 Faculty, Administration and Board of Trustees
  62. ↑ Faculty profiles

External links

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