Introduction

“Lehmann gives a very accomplished account of himself…his bright, attractive, lyric voice has always had a sense of ease through the register, and he is a good actor to boot.”

Biography

Tenor Kurt Lehmann has been hailed as “…one of Canada’s most dependable tenors. He has the money notes and clear, clean, romantic delivery.” His international career has taken him to Carnegie Hall for Verdi’s REQUIEM as well as engagements in Toronto, Montreal, Dallas, Calgary, Vancouver, Naples, Pittsburgh, Victoria, and Detroit in repertoire ranging from Lenski in EUGENE ONEGIN to Barinkay in DER ZIGEUNERBARON. Puccini and Verdi dominated Mr. Lehmann’s 2007-2008 season with Pinkerton in MADAMA BUTTERFLY for Pacific Opera Victoria and Orchestra London and Alfredo in LA TRAVIATA for Opera Lyra Ottawa and Manitoba Opera.  He was also heard with the Calgary Philharmonic in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9.

His 2010-2011 schedule included Penderecki’s SEVEN GATES OF JERUSALEM and Beethoven’s Mass in C with the Winnipeg Symphony, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 for L’Orchestre symphonique de Québec and Verdi’s REQUIEM for the Regina Symphony. In the summer of 2011, he was at Festival Lanaudiere for Marschner’s DER VAMPYR and was Rinuccio in GIANNI SCHICCHI and Beppe in PAGLIACCI for Calgary Opera in the fall of 2011.

Engagements in the recent past include an “Opera Stars Under the Stars” concert, a New Year’s Eve Gala and Rodolfo in LA BOHEME for Opera Naples, Pinkerton in MADAMA BUTTERFLY for Manitoba Opera, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with the Winnipeg and Kitchener-Waterloo Symphonies, Flamand in Strauss’ CAPRICCIO for Pacific Opera Victoria, Cassio in OTELLO for Edmonton Opera and an opera gala for the Brott Music Festival of Hamilton.

Of particular note in the summer of 2007 was his debut engagement at Glimmerglass Opera as the violin-playing Orpheus in Offenbach’s ORPHEUS IN THE UNDERWORLD. Mr. Lehmann was selected for this role after a continent-wide search for lyric tenors who were also virtuoso violinists. Cassio in OTELLO returned to his repertoire for productions with Opera Lyra Ottawa, Manitoba Opera and Opéra de Québec. He was then back in British Columbia for Pacific Opera Victoria’s DAPHNE as Leukippos. Engagements on the concert stage included Mozart’s Mass in C minor in Winnipeg and Ruggiero in LA RONDINE for Toronto’s Opera in Concert. In a lighter vein, he was in Detroit and Hamilton for the New Year’s “Salute to Vienna” concerts, with the Hamilton Philharmonic in “Fest Italia” and with Orchestra London in a concert devoted to Viennese hits.

Other highlights include The Male Chorus in Britten’s THE RAPE OF LUCRETIA for L’Opéra de Montréal, Mozart’s KRÖNUNGSMESSE with the Edmonton Symphony, Lenski in EUGENE ONEGIN for Pacific Opera Victoria, Tybalt in ROMEO ÉT JULIETTE for Calgary Opera. For Dallas Opera he appeared as Pong in TURANDOT, Gastone in LA TRAVIATA and Pylade in ERMIONE. Further credits include Carlson in Floyd’s OF MICE AND MEN for Vancouver Opera as well as Chevalier de la Force in DIALOGUES DES CARMÉLITES and Boucher in the Canadian Premiere of DEAD MAN WALKING for Calgary Opera.

Past seasons include Tamino in DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE for Opera Lyra Ottawa, Alfred in DIE FLEDERMAUS, Prince Edwin in Kalman’s DIE CZARDASFÜRSTIN for Toronto Operetta Theatre, Rodolfo in LA BOHEME with the Newfoundland Symphony and for Ottawa’s National Arts Centre Orchestra Strauss’ DER ZIGEUNERBARON. For l’Orchestre symphonique de Québec, he was tenor soloist in ELIJAH.

A protégé of the legendary soprano Virginia Zeani, Mr. Lehmann was engaged by the Toronto Symphony for a work written and conducted by Bramwell Tovey for its “Last Night at the Proms” concerts at Roy Thompson Hall. Mr. Lehmann has also performed with the Pecs Symphony Orchestra of Hungary.

                                                                                          January 2012

Full Repertoire

Opera

Concert

Engaged By

AmorArtis, New York
Calgary Opera
Calgary Philharmonic
Dallas Opera
Edmonton Symphony
Glimmerglass Opera
Hamilton Philharmonic
Manitoba Chamber Orchestra
Manitoba Opera
National Arts Centre Orchestra, Ottawa
Newfoundland Symphony
Opera in Concert, Toronto
Opera Lyra, Ottawa
Opera Ontario
Opéra de Montréal
Opéra de Québec
Opera Saskatchewan
Orchestre symphonique de Québec
Pacific Opera Victoria
Royal Winnipeg Ballet
Salute to Vienna
Toronto Mendelssohn Choir
Toronto Operetta Theatre
Toronto Symphony Orchestra
Vancouver Opera
Vancouver Symphony
Victoria Symphony
Winnipeg Philharmonic Choir
Winnipeg Symphony 

 

Reviews

“Lehmann  wisely left his powerhouse operatic voice at the door for a refreshingly modest rendition of Et in spiritum sanctum.  His more demure delivery suited the movement perfectly and he was at his most musically elegant.”

“Kurt Lehmann as Ruggero is proving to be one of Canada’s most dependable tenors.  He has the money notes and clear, clean romantic delivery.”

“Kurt Lehmann is a singer that you know is going to nail whatever he sings.  His honey toned tenor voice is always a pleasure to hear, displaying a beautiful ease and fluid expressiveness even in his top-most register.”

‘…it was Lehmann who had the audience in the palm of his hand during his aria in the second act, one of the best moments of the night.”

“…the brief but crucial encounters between Iiago and Cassio were very well handled and had the dramatic weight to do their job of driving the tragedy along.’  (Opera Ontario, OTELLO)

“Lehmann’s voice and easy charm…his solo particularly showed off his lyrical and smoothly textured voice, as he easily handled the upper register without strain of effort.  Flawless diction and a gracious presence only added to a wonderfully strong performance.”

“Tenor Kurt Lehmann had the incredibly physically taxing part as John.  He was astonishing.  How he reached again and again for the very summits of tessitura was a marvel.”

“Kurt Lehmann has a great time as the hero, Barinkay, he sang confidently and with great charisma and charm.”