Ragnar Ulfung
Encyclopedia
Ragnar Sigurd Ulfung is a Norwegian operatic tenor
. Described in the Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians
as "a brilliant actor with an incisive voice", he was particularly known for his portrayals of Herod (Salome
) and Mime (Der Ring des Nibelungen
). He is also an opera director. Amongst the productions he has directed was a complete Ring cycle for the Seattle Opera
.
Ulfung was born in Oslo
and studied there and in Milan
before making his debut in Let's Make an Opera (Oslo, 1950). He made a successful debut at the Royal Swedish Opera
in 1958 as Canio in I Pagliacci and remained a member of the company until 1984. However, he also made guest appearances abroad. He made his debut at the Metropolitan Opera
on December 12, 1972 as Mime in Siegfried
and went on to sing 93 performances there between 1972 and 1993. He was appointed Hovsångare
in 1976.
Tenor
The tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2...
. Described in the Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians
Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians
The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians is an encyclopedic dictionary of music and musicians. Along with the German-language Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart, it is the largest single reference work on Western music. The dictionary has gone through several editions since the 19th century...
as "a brilliant actor with an incisive voice", he was particularly known for his portrayals of Herod (Salome
Salome (opera)
Salome is an opera in one act by Richard Strauss to a German libretto by the composer, based on Hedwig Lachmann’s German translation of the French play Salomé by Oscar Wilde. Strauss dedicated the opera to his friend Sir Edgar Speyer....
) and Mime (Der Ring des Nibelungen
Der Ring des Nibelungen
Der Ring des Nibelungen is a cycle of four epic operas by the German composer Richard Wagner . The works are based loosely on characters from the Norse sagas and the Nibelungenlied...
). He is also an opera director. Amongst the productions he has directed was a complete Ring cycle for the Seattle Opera
Seattle Opera
The Seattle Opera is an opera company located in Seattle, Washington. Founded in 1963 by Glynn Ross, who served as the company's first general director through 1983, Seattle Opera's season runs from August to late May, with five or six operas offered and with eight to ten performances each, often...
.
Ulfung was born in Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
and studied there and in Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
before making his debut in Let's Make an Opera (Oslo, 1950). He made a successful debut at the Royal Swedish Opera
Royal Swedish Opera
Kungliga Operan is Sweden's national stage for opera and ballet.-Location and Environment:...
in 1958 as Canio in I Pagliacci and remained a member of the company until 1984. However, he also made guest appearances abroad. He made his debut at the 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...
on December 12, 1972 as Mime in Siegfried
Siegfried (opera)
Siegfried is the third of the four operas that constitute Der Ring des Nibelungen , by Richard Wagner. It received its premiere at the Bayreuth Festspielhaus on 16 August 1876, as part of the first complete performance of The Ring...
and went on to sing 93 performances there between 1972 and 1993. He was appointed Hovsångare
Hovsångare
Hovsångare , literally Court Singer, is a title awarded by the Swedish monarch to a singer who, by their vocal art, has contributed to the international standing of Swedish singing. The formal title was introduced by King Gustav III of Sweden in 1773, with the first recipients being Elisabeth Olin...
in 1976.
Sources
- Blyth Alan, "Ulfung, Ragnar (Sigurd)", in Stanley Sadie (ed.), The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, Grove 2001, Volume 26, p. 60. ISBN 0195170679
- Metropolitan OperaMetropolitan OperaThe 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...
, http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/gisrch2k.r?Term=Ulfung,%20Ragnar%20%5BTenor%5D&limit=5000&vsrchtype=no&xBranch=ALL&xmtype=&Start=&End=&theterm=%55lf%75ng,%20%52agna%72%20%5B%54%65no%72%5D&srt=&x=0&xHome=http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/bibpro.htm&xHomePath=http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/Performance record: Ulfung, Ragnar (Tenor)], MetOpera Database (accessed 26 April 2020) - Stiftelsen Kungliga Teaterns Solister (Foundation of Royal TheatreRoyal Swedish OperaKungliga Operan is Sweden's national stage for opera and ballet.-Location and Environment:...
Soloists), Biography: Ragnar Ulfung (in Swedish, accessed 26 April 2020)
External links
- Ragnar Ulfung on IMDb