Thomas Hampson (baritone)

Thomas Hampson (baritone)

Thomas Hampson (born June 28, 1955, Elkhart, Indiana), an American lyric baritone, is recognized as one of the world’s pre-eminent classical singers, having appeared in major opera houses and concert halls all over the world and outputting over 170 musical recordings.

Hampson’s operatic repertoire spans a range of more than 80 roles, including the title roles in Mozart's Don Giovanni, Rossini's Guillaume Tell, Ambroise Thomas' Hamlet, and Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin; Figaro in Rossini's Barber of Seville, Germont in Verdi's La Traviata and more recently also Amfortas in Wagner's Parsifal and Scarpia in Puccini's Tosca.

As a recitalist Hampson has won worldwide recognition for his thoughtfully researched and creatively constructed programs that explore the rich repertoire of song in a wide range of styles, languages, and periods. He is one of the most important interpreters of German Romantic song – especially known for his interpretations of the music of Gustav Mahler – and, with his “Song of America” project collaboration with the Library of Congress, has become the “ambassador” of American song.

Hampson’s diverse and expansive discography has earned him acclaim throughout the world, including six Grammy Award nominations and one Grammy Award, for his 2002 recording of Wagner's Tannhäuser.

The late Dame Elisabeth Schwarzkopf once said of her student, “ the best singer in Europe right now.”