Michael Weinius
Michael Weinius, born March 1, 1971 in Stockholm,[1] is a Swedish tenor opera singer. After winning first price at the 2008 international Wagner competition in Seattle, Weinius has quickly established himself as one of Europe's most sought after tenors.
Education and early years
Weinius received his first musical training at the Adolf Fredrik's Music School in Stockholm and then studied at the University College of Opera in Stockholm, receiving his exam in 1995. He mad his international debut as a baryton in the role of Guglielmo in Così fan tutte and quickly became a regular guest at the Swedish opera houses in roles such as Renato/Greve Holberg in Un ballo in maschera, Posa in Don Carlos and Marcello i Bohème.[2]
(Mostly) Swedish career
In 2004 Weinius switched his fach to tenor and made his debut in the role of Laca (Jenufa) at NorrlandsOperan in Umeå. During his first year as a tenor he was engaged to sing i.a. Don José (Carmen) in concert with the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra under Marc Soustrot, Loge (Das Rheingold) in concert with the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra and Kent Nagano, and Sergej (Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District) at the Värmland Opera in Karlstad, Sweden. These initial triumphs as a tenor led to a row of role debuts, such as Riccardo/Gustav III (Un ballo in mascher), Dick Johnson (La fanciulla del West) and Herode (Salome), Turiddu (Cavalleria rusticana) and Siegmund (Die Walküre), Cavaradossi (Tosca), Don José Carmen and Otello (Otello).[2]
In early 2007 Weinius sang his first Parsifal in Karlstad Cathedral when the Värmland Opera presented its acclaimed production. Thereafter Weinius has established himself as one of the most sought after interpreters of this role. HHe sang Parsifal in Mannheim in the spring of 2008, secured his victory in the international Wagner competition in Seattle in 2008 by singing excerpts from Parsifal, and he has since performed the role at a number of international scenes i.s. Deutsche Oper am Rhein in Düsseldorf and the Finnish National Opera in Helsingfors.
In December 2008 Weinius participated in the first performance of Batseba by Sven-David Sandström, commissioned by the Royal Swedish Opera in Stockholm, in the role of King David written especially with Weinius in mind. Other recent and planned performances in Sweden include the title role in Peter Grimes, Alfred (Die Fledermaus), the kings Charles IV and Ferdinand VII in Daniel Börtz' opera Goya, the title role in Verdi's Otello and Siegmund Die Walküre.[2]
In the fall of 2010 Weinius made his debut at the Opera Bastille in Paris in the role of Hans Schwalb in Hindemith's Mathis der Maler under the director Christoph Eschenbach. In the spring of 2012 he sang for the first time the title role in Wagner's Lohengrin at the Royal Swedish Opera in Stockholm.[2]
International career
In 2013 Weinius has made his debut at i.a. the Deutsche Oper in Berlin in the title role of Lohengrin and at the Bayerische Staatsoper in Munich in the title role of Parsifal. He participate in a Wagner gala with the Staatskapelle Dresden under director Christian Thielemann. Weinius is also heavily engaged as concert singer and has performed under directors such as Gustavo Dudamel, Alan Gilbert, Leif Segerstam, Jukka-Pekka Saraste, Kent Nagano, Pinchas Steinberg, Pier Giorgio Morandi and Marc Soustrot.[2]
Awards
- 2004: received the Gösta Winbergh Award[3]
- 2006: received the Birgit Nilsson stipend (Swedish: Birgit Nilsson's stipendium)[4]
- 2009: received the Svenska Dagbladet Opera Prize (Swedish: Svenska Dagbladets Operapris)[5]
- 2009: received the Opera Magazine Prize (Swedish: Tidskriften Operas pris)[6]
- 2012: received the Jussi Björling stipend (Swedish: Jussi Björling-stipendiet)[7]
- 2013: received the soloist prize conferred by Lunds Studentsångförening[8]
- 2013: appointed Hovsångare by H.M. the King of Sweden[9]
Hagegårdens stipendium Frimurarnas stora stipendium
References
- ↑ Sveriges befolkning 1990, CD-ROM, Version 1.00, Riksarkivet (2011).
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 "Michael Weinius". Royal Opera Stockholm. Retrieved December 20, 2013.
- ↑ "Michael Weinius fick Gösta Winbergh Award - Mitt i musiken | Sveriges Radio". Sverigesradio.se. 2004-09-02. Retrieved 2013-12-20.
- ↑ "Birgit Nilsson-stipendiet". birgitnilsson.com. 1969-12-12. Retrieved 2013-12-20.
- ↑ "Michael Weinius får operapris". DN.SE. 2009-05-14. Retrieved 2013-12-20.
- ↑ "Michael Weinius vann 2009 -års Operapris". Operalogg. 2009-11-30. Retrieved 2013-12-20.
- ↑ "Jussi Björling-stipendiet till Michael Weinius - Anders Walls Stiftelser". Mynewsdesk.com. Retrieved 2013-12-20.
- ↑ Michael Weinius får solistpriset 2013
- ↑ Swedish Royal Court official home page