Graham Clark

We are deeply saddened by the news of Graham Clark’s passing. It was Colbert Artists’ great honor and pleasure to work with him since 1978, supporting his career as a brilliant tenor, a charismatic and mesmerizing figure onstage, and an unfailingly kind and collaborative human offstage. His art-making was singular, and he will be remembered with fondness and affection forever.

https://operawire.com/obituary-tenor-graham-clark-dies-at-81/

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One of the world’s most sought-after tenors, Graham Clark is closely associated with the works of Wagner and Janácek. He has received international acclaim for his interpretations of these composers, as well as for his work in many contemporary operas and selected traditional works.

Recent performances include Siegfried at the Los Angeles Opera, Hauptmann in Wozzeck at the Welsh National Opera, Valzacchi in Der Rosenkavalier at the Royal Opera, and Prince/Manservant/Marquis in Berg’s Lulu at the Metropolitan Opera. He has also sung the role of Aegisth in Elektra at the Liceu in Barcelona, the Lawyer in Birtwistle’s Punch and Judy at the English National Opera, and the Witch in Hansel and Gretel at the Welsh National Opera. He has performed Ariadne auf Naxos in Madrid, The Makropoulos Case for English National Opera, Khovanshchina in Barcelona, and Wozzeck at the Metropolitan Opera and Covent Garden.

Graham Clark made his U.S. debut in 1985 at the Metropolitan Opera as Steva in Jenufa. He has since appeared there in a wide range of roles including Loge and Mime in Das Rheingold, Mime in Siegfried, Captain Vere in Billy Budd, Herod in Salome, The Captain in Wozzeck, Prince/Marquis/Manservant in Lulu, Tanzmeister in Ariadne auf Naxos, Albert Gregor in the Met premiere of The Makropulos Case, and Bégearss in the world premiere of The Ghosts of Versailles, for which he received an Emmy nomination for the PBS broadcast. In concert, Mr. Clark has sung at major festivals including Lucerne, Edinburgh, Brussels, and the London Proms. From1981 to 1992 he appeared annually at the Bayreuth Festival, where he sang in over 100 performances.

Born in Lancashire, England, Graham Clark was a member of the English National Opera from 1978 to 1985, and sang with Opera North and the Welsh National Opera. He received three nominations for “Outstanding Individual Achievement in Opera” and won the coveted Olivier Award in 1986 for his portrayal of Mephistopheles in Busoni’s Doktor Faust. Graham Clark has recorded for Philips, Decca, EMI, Erato and Teldec and has taught at the Metropolitan Opera’s Lindemann Young Artists Program. He appears in several video recordings, including the Metropolitan Opera’s The Ghosts of Versailles and Bayreuth performances of Die Meistersinger, The Flying Dutchman and the Ring des Nibelungen.