Waldemar Kmentt

Waldemar Kmentt (2 February 1929 – 21 January 2015) was an Austrian operatic tenor, who was particularly associated with the German repertory, both opera and operetta.

Born in Vienna, Kmennt studied at the Vienna Music Academy: first the piano, and later voice with Adolf Vogel, Elisabeth Radó and Hans Duhan. In 1950, he sang the tenor-solo part in Beethoven's Ninth Symphony under Karl Böhm, and made his operatic debut the following year as a lyric tenor at the Vienna State Opera, where he was to sing for more than 35 years. He also quickly became a regular guest at the Salzburg Festival in Mozart roles (Belmonte, Don Ottavio, Ferrando, Tamino, and both Idamante and Idomeneo).

Beginning in 1956, he appeared outside Austria, in places such as Milan, Rome, Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels, Berlin and Munich. He made his debut at the Bayreuth Festival, as Walther von Stolzing in Wagner's Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, in 1968. He also appeared regularly at the Vienna Volksoper in operetta, notably Die Fledermaus.

Other notable roles included Jacquino, Erik, Bacchus, The Emperor. He also sang a few Italian roles with success such as Rodolfo, des Grieux, Ruggero, etc. In 1960, he created Gabriel in Frank Martin's Le Mystère de la Nativité.

Kmentt sang well into his sixties in small character roles such as Mr Triquet in Eugene Onegin, the Innkeeper in Der Rosenkavalier and Altoum in Turandot, while teaching at Vienna Music Academy.

Kmentt died on 21 January 2015 at the age of 85,

Sources

Operissimo.com