Photo: Wikimedia Commons (Wikidata P18)
Samuel Ramey
bass
Born March 28, 1942 in Colby, Kansas, United States (84 years old)
OperaTheatre
Samuel Ramey is an American operatic bass. At the height of his career, he was greatly admired for his range and versatility, having possessed a sufficiently accomplished bel canto technique which enabled him to sing the music of Handel, Mozart and Rossini but with enough vocal power to handle the more overtly dramatic roles in Verdi, Puccini, and Meyerbeer operas.
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
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Career Trajectory
Samuel Ramey rose from Kansas to become one of the most recorded operatic basses in history, launching his professional career at the New York City Opera in 1973 and subsequently establishing himself as an indispensable interpreter at the world's leading opera houses. His vocal flexibility and dramatic intelligence enabled him to master an unusually expansive repertoire spanning from Mozart and Rossini to Verdi and Meyerbeer, with the role of Méphistophélès becoming nearly synonymous with his artistry across more than two hundred performances. By the 1980s and 1990s, Ramey had secured his position as a cornerstone of the recorded operatic legacy, accumulating over eighty commercial recordings and three Grammy Awards while maintaining an active performance schedule across the globe.
Career Highlight
Most recorded bass in history with over 80 albums and three Grammy Awards (1980s–1990s)
At a Glance
- Voice
- bass
- Nationality
- United States
- Born
- 1942 · Colby, Kansas, United States
Training & Education
Kansas State University
Engagements
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