Томас Хэмпсон
June 28, 1955 - Elkhart, Indiana
© Jiyang Chen
About
Thomas Hampson enjoys a singular international career as a recitalist, opera singer, and recording artist. Having performed in all the world’s most important concert halls and opera houses, the American baritone is one of the most respected, innovative, and sought-after soloists performing today. His discography of more than 150 albums includes winners of one Grammy Award, five Edison Prizes, the Grand Prix du Disque, and most recently the 2011 “Singer of the Year” ECHO Klassik.
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, and with his celebrated “Song of America” project, a collaboration with the Library of Congress, he has become the “ambassador of American song”. Through the Hampsong Foundation founded in 2003, he employs the art of song to promote intercultural dialogue and understanding.
The baritone has received many honors and awards for his probing artistry and cultural leadership. He holds honorary doctorates from Manhattan School of Music, Whitworth College, and the San Francisco Conservatory, and is an honorary member of London’s Royal Academy of Music. Hampson carries the title of Kammersänger of the Vienna State Opera, was named a Commandeur dans l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the Republic of France, was awarded the Austrian Medal of Honor in Arts and Sciences in 2004 and the Edison Life Achievement Award in 2005. In 2010 he was elected a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.