Gary Lehman
Encyclopedia
Gary Lehman is an American
opera
tic tenor, specialising in the Heldentenor repertoire
He initially trained as a baritone at Youngstown State University
, continued his studies at Indiana University
, and as a member of the Lyric Opera Center for American Artists gave 90 performances with the Lyric Opera of Chicago
. In 1995 he sang the lead tenor role of Herman in The Queen of Spades
. From the 1990s into the next decade he sang baritone roles such as the Count in The Marriage of Figaro
and Ford in Falstaff
.
He made his debut in the Heldentenor fach
in 2005, replacing Placido Domingo
as the title role in Parsifal
for Los Angeles Opera
. The following year he sang Samson in Samson et Dalila.
Lehman's next Wagner performances were in the title role in Tannhauser
in March 2007. A year later he made his both his Metropolitan Opera
and role debuts in Tristan und Isolde
. He repeated the role with the Mariinsky Opera in June 2008, with Leipzig Opera in January 2009 and gave concert performances with the Philharmonia
Orchestra throughout Europe in August and September of 2010. Further Wagner roles have been Siegmund in Die Walküre
, also at the Met, and a recording of the title role in Parsifal.
After Ben Heppner
dropped out of the ongoing Metropolitan Opera Ring Cycle it was announced in February 2011 that Lehman will sing Siegfried in both Siegfried
in October 2011 and Götterdämmerung
in January 2012.
His repertoire also includes Canio in Pagliacci
, the title role in Peter Grimes
, Florestan in Fidelio
, and Alwa in Lulu
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
tic tenor, specialising in the Heldentenor repertoire
He initially trained as a baritone at Youngstown State University
Youngstown State University
Youngstown State University, founded in 1908, is an urban research university located in Youngstown, Ohio, United States. As of fall 2010, there were 15,194 students and a student-faculty ratio of 19:1. It is recognized as being one of the premier schools in the country, comparable to Ivy League...
, continued his studies at Indiana University
Indiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
, and as a member of the Lyric Opera Center for American Artists gave 90 performances with the Lyric Opera of Chicago
Lyric Opera of Chicago
Lyric Opera of Chicago is one of the leading opera companies in the United States. It was founded in Chicago in 1952, under the name 'Lyric Theatre of Chicago' by Carol Fox, Nicolà Rescigno and Lawrence Kelly, with a season that included Maria Callas's American debut in Norma...
. In 1995 he sang the lead tenor role of Herman in The Queen of Spades
The Queen of Spades (opera)
The Queen of Spades, Op. 68 is an opera in 3 acts by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky to a Russian libretto by the composer's brother Modest Tchaikovsky, based on a short story of the same name by Alexander Pushkin. The premiere took place in 1890 in St...
. From the 1990s into the next decade he sang baritone roles such as the Count in The Marriage of Figaro
The Marriage of Figaro
Le nozze di Figaro, ossia la folle giornata , K. 492, is an opera buffa composed in 1786 in four acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, with Italian libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte, based on a stage comedy by Pierre Beaumarchais, La folle journée, ou le Mariage de Figaro .Although the play by...
and Ford in Falstaff
Falstaff (opera)
Falstaff is an operatic commedia lirica in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi, adapted by Arrigo Boito from Shakespeare's plays The Merry Wives of Windsor and scenes from Henry IV. It was Verdi's last opera, written in the composer's ninth decade, and only the second of his 26 operas to be a comedy...
.
He made his debut in the Heldentenor fach
Fach
The German Fach system is a method of classifying singers, primarily opera singers, according to the range, weight, and color of their voices...
in 2005, replacing Placido Domingo
Plácido Domingo
Plácido Domingo KBE , born José Plácido Domingo Embil, is a Spanish tenor and conductor known for his versatile and strong voice, possessing a ringing and dramatic tone throughout its range...
as the title role in Parsifal
Parsifal
Parsifal is an opera in three acts by Richard Wagner. It is loosely based on Wolfram von Eschenbach's Parzival, the 13th century epic poem of the Arthurian knight Parzival and his quest for the Holy Grail, and on Chrétien de Troyes' Perceval, the Story of the Grail.Wagner first conceived the work...
for Los Angeles Opera
Los Angeles Opera
The Los Angeles Opera is an opera company in Los Angeles, California. It is the fourth largest opera company in the United States. The company's home base is the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, part of the Los Angeles Music Center.-Current leadership:...
. The following year he sang Samson in Samson et Dalila.
Lehman's next Wagner performances were in the title role in Tannhauser
Tannhäuser
Tannhäuser was a German Minnesänger and poet. Historically, his biography is obscure beyond the poetry, which dates between 1245 and 1265...
in March 2007. A year later he made his both his Metropolitan Opera
Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera is an opera company, located in New York City. Originally founded in 1880, the company gave its first performance on October 22, 1883. The company is operated by the non-profit Metropolitan Opera Association, with Peter Gelb as general manager...
and role debuts in Tristan und Isolde
Tristan und Isolde
Tristan und Isolde is an opera, or music drama, in three acts by Richard Wagner to a German libretto by the composer, based largely on the romance by Gottfried von Straßburg. It was composed between 1857 and 1859 and premiered in Munich on 10 June 1865 with Hans von Bülow conducting...
. He repeated the role with the Mariinsky Opera in June 2008, with Leipzig Opera in January 2009 and gave concert performances with the Philharmonia
Philharmonia
The Philharmonia Orchestra is one of the leading orchestras in Great Britain, based in London. Since 1995, it has been based in the Royal Festival Hall. In Britain it is also the resident orchestra at De Montfort Hall, Leicester and the Corn Exchange, Bedford, as well as The Anvil, Basingstoke...
Orchestra throughout Europe in August and September of 2010. Further Wagner roles have been Siegmund in Die Walküre
Die Walküre
Die Walküre , WWV 86B, is the second of the four operas that form the cycle Der Ring des Nibelungen , by Richard Wagner...
, also at the Met, and a recording of the title role in Parsifal.
After Ben Heppner
Ben Heppner
Ben Heppner, CC is a Canadian tenor, specializing in opera and other classical works for voice.Heppner was born in Murrayville, British Columbia, and lived in Dawson Creek...
dropped out of the ongoing Metropolitan Opera Ring Cycle it was announced in February 2011 that Lehman will sing Siegfried in both Siegfried
Siegfried
Siegfried is a German language male given name, meaning "victory peace".Siegfried may also refer to:-People:* Sigfrid of Sweden , English missionary to Sweden and patron saint of Växjö...
in October 2011 and Götterdämmerung
Götterdämmerung
is the last in Richard Wagner's cycle of four operas titled Der Ring des Nibelungen...
in January 2012.
His repertoire also includes Canio in Pagliacci
Pagliacci
Pagliacci , sometimes incorrectly rendered with a definite article as I Pagliacci, is an opera consisting of a prologue and two acts written and composed by Ruggero Leoncavallo. It recounts the tragedy of a jealous husband in a commedia dell'arte troupe...
, the title role in Peter Grimes
Peter Grimes
Peter Grimes is an opera by Benjamin Britten, with a libretto adapted by Montagu Slater from the Peter Grimes section of George Crabbe's poem The Borough...
, Florestan in Fidelio
Fidelio
Fidelio is a German opera in two acts by Ludwig van Beethoven. It is Beethoven's only opera. The German libretto is by Joseph Sonnleithner from the French of Jean-Nicolas Bouilly which had been used for the 1798 opera Léonore, ou L’amour conjugal by Pierre Gaveaux, and for the 1804 opera Leonora...
, and Alwa in Lulu
Lulu (opera)
Lulu is an opera by the composer Alban Berg. The libretto was adapted by Berg himself from Frank Wedekind's plays Erdgeist and Die Büchse der Pandora .-Composition history:...
.