Sigurður Bragason
Sigurður Bragason (born 16 August 1954) is an Icelandic baritone.
He studied in Germany and Italy after graduating from the Conservatory of Music in Reykjavík. He is one of Iceland’s best-known singers and is much sought-after as interpreter of Icelandic, Russian, German and Italian songs.
International career
His international career has taken him to music festivals and such renowned concert halls in Europe and the United States as the Royal Concertgebouw in Amsterdam 1998, Beethoven Haus in Bonn 1992,1993 and 1998, Temppeliaukion Kirko (The Rock-Church) in Helsinki 1997 and 1998, The Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall in New York 1996 and 2000, the Wigmore Hall in London 1993 and 2001 and the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts in 2003.
Musical work
Sigurður has also appeared in Tosca, La Boheme, The Magic Flute, Let’s Make an Opera, Dido and Aeneas, Carmina Burana under Willy Gohl, Messias, Bach Cantatas and Vespro della Beata Vergine by Monteverdi to name few of his musical roles. In 1995 Sigurður sang the lead role specially written for him in a new Icelandic opera “The Moonlight Island” by the Nordic Music Prize composer Atli Heimir Sveinsson on a tournee in Germany.
He is a sought-after interpreter of songs by the Icelandic composer Jón Leifs and has appeared in several television and radio programmes including WDR in Germany and BBC's “Comparing Notes”.
Discography
Sigurður's first solo album with Icelandic and Italian songs appeared in 1989. His CDs include Songs of Light and Darkness with works by Tosti, Donizetti, Verdi, Respighi and Mussorgsky in 1993, Songs of the Master Pianists with works by Chopin, Liszt, Rachmaninoff, Ravel and Rubinstein in 1995, accompanied by pianist Vovka Ashkenazy, and Mozart Arias with the Baltic Symphony Orchestra in 1999.
Sources
- Samtíðarmenn 2003, Biography: Sigurður Bragason (in Icelandic)
See also
- Icelandic singers
- Music of Iceland