Opera Singer. A dramatic tenor, he is remembered for his long career in his country's principal venues. Raised in eastern Germany, he originally studied painting but was drawn to the stage and after winning a vocal contest was accepted for training in his native city; he joined the local opera house as a chorister, initially as a baritone, but after moving to the Kleist Theatre of Frankfurt was converted to tenor and tasked with parts of increasing importance. After refining his skills, he joined the Leipzig Opera in 1966 where his assignments included Radames of Verdi's "Aida", Florestan from Beethoven's "Fidelio", Calaf in Puccini's "Turandot", Siegmund and Loge from Wagner's "Ring Cycle", Don Alvaro in Verdi's "La Forza del Destino", and the title leads of Jacques Offenbach's "The Tales of Hoffmann", Wagner's "Lohengrin", and Verdi's "Otello", the last named being his recognized signature piece. Kurth was designated Kammersanger (KS) in 1971, made his 1974 Berlin State Opera bow as Herod of Richard Strauss' "Salome", and in 1978 moved to the other side of the footlights when he directed Johann Strauss II's "Die Fledermaus" for Leipzig. He continued a double career, singing in Dresden, Moscow, Salzburg, Florence, Venice, and elsewhere, while directing in Leipzig, his focus being primarily such modern pieces as Serge Prokofiev's "Der Speiler". Kurth maintained a performing career at Berlin's Komische Oper until around 2003 and lived out his days in Leipzig. Some of his vocal performances are preserved.
Opera Singer. A dramatic tenor, he is remembered for his long career in his country's principal venues. Raised in eastern Germany, he originally studied painting but was drawn to the stage and after winning a vocal contest was accepted for training in his native city; he joined the local opera house as a chorister, initially as a baritone, but after moving to the Kleist Theatre of Frankfurt was converted to tenor and tasked with parts of increasing importance. After refining his skills, he joined the Leipzig Opera in 1966 where his assignments included Radames of Verdi's "Aida", Florestan from Beethoven's "Fidelio", Calaf in Puccini's "Turandot", Siegmund and Loge from Wagner's "Ring Cycle", Don Alvaro in Verdi's "La Forza del Destino", and the title leads of Jacques Offenbach's "The Tales of Hoffmann", Wagner's "Lohengrin", and Verdi's "Otello", the last named being his recognized signature piece. Kurth was designated Kammersanger (KS) in 1971, made his 1974 Berlin State Opera bow as Herod of Richard Strauss' "Salome", and in 1978 moved to the other side of the footlights when he directed Johann Strauss II's "Die Fledermaus" for Leipzig. He continued a double career, singing in Dresden, Moscow, Salzburg, Florence, Venice, and elsewhere, while directing in Leipzig, his focus being primarily such modern pieces as Serge Prokofiev's "Der Speiler". Kurth maintained a performing career at Berlin's Komische Oper until around 2003 and lived out his days in Leipzig. Some of his vocal performances are preserved.
Bio by: Bob Hufford
Advertisement
See more Kurth memorials in:
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
