Philip Kraus

Philip Kraus

Philip Kraus (born November 17, 1950) is an American operatic baritone and stage director known for his performances with the Lyric Opera of Chicago, starting in 1991, and for his co-founding of Light Opera Works, a professional light opera company in Chicago, in 1980.

Early training

Kraus was born in New York City where he received early musical training. As a child, he developed a keen interest in the works of Gilbert and Sullivan. In addition to singing, he also composed music and conducted choirs.

Kraus studied music education at Northwestern University and eventually earned a Doctor of Music in Applied Voice from that institution in 1986.^[1] He studied voice with tenor Walter Carringer, choral music with Margaret Hillis, and opera with Robert Gay, a disciple of Boris Goldovsky. He participated in the 1974 American premiere of Sir Michael Tippett's The Knot Garden at Northwestern, singing the role of Mangus.^[2]

Operatic and concert career

In 1979, Kraus made his professional debut singing the role of the Vicar in Benjamin Britten's Albert Herring with the Chicago Opera Theater.^[3] He later played the title role in Gianni Schicchi with the company.^[4] With the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, in 1979, he sang in Handel's Dettingen Te Deum and the Chicago premiere of American composer Russell Woollen's In Martyrium Memoriam.^[5] Also in 1979, he recorded the role of Zweiter Gefangene in Beethoven's Fidelio with the CSO, conducted by Sir Georg Solti.^[6]

Kraus began a long association as soloist with the Grant Park Concerts in Chicago in 1979, performing Haydn's Mass in Time of War under conductor Thomas Peck.^[7] He followed this singing Elgar's The Kingdom, under Leonard Slatkin, in 1981.^[8] Kraus went on to sing with other American orchestras, including the Cleveland Orchestra,^[9] Dallas Symphony, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra,^[10] and many others, working with conductors Erich Leinsdorf, Eduardo Mata, Zdeněk Mácal,^[11] Andrew Davis,^[12] James Conlon,^[13] David Zinman,^[14] Claudio Abbado, James Levine,^[15] Lukas Foss,^[16] Mark Elder, Anton Coppola,^[17] Gisele Ben-Dor,^[18] and Marin Alsop.^[19] He has been a soloist at the Handel Week Festival in Oak Park, Illinois several times,^[20] at Mahlerfest in Boulder, Colorado (2001),^[21] and sang Felix Mendelssohn's Elijah in 1996 with New Oratorio Singers.^[22]

In 1986, with Chamber Opera Chicago, Kraus played the title role in Falstaff.^[23] He joined the roster of the Lyric Opera of Chicago for the 1990 season, and his roles with the company include Jose Castro in La fanciulla del West (1991), Antonio in The Marriage of Figaro (1992), Micah in The Bartered Bride (1993), Alcindoro in La bohème (1993), the Sacristan in Tosca (1994), Elder MacLean in Susannah (1994),^[24] various supporting roles in Candide (1994),^[25] Amantio di Nicolao in Gianni Schicchi (1996), Southern Senator in Amistad (1997; world premiere, by composer Anthony Davis), Helmsman in Tristan und Isolde (1999),^[26] Meyer Wolfshiem in The Great Gatsby (2000), the Mayor in Jenůfa (2000),^[27] Abe Kaplan in Street Scene (2001),^[28] Ratcliffe in Billy Budd (2001–2002),^[29] Baron Douphol in La Traviata (2003),^[30] Benoit/Antonio in The Marriage of Figaro (2003),^[31] and Harashta in The Cunning Little Vixen (2004).^[32] In the company's 2007-08 season, he played Baron Douphol in La Traviata.^[33] In 2010, he played Pish-Tush in The Mikado.^[34] The Wall Street Journal said that he brought "appropriate snark" to the role.^[35] The next year, he was again in La fanciulla del West, this time as Sid.^[36] He has played Bartolo in The Barber of Seville more than once for the company.^[37] In 2012, he played Le Bailli in Werther.^[38] One of his later roles for the company was the Notary in Der Rosenkavalier in 2016.^[39]

In 1994 Kraus sang the Vicar in Albert Herring with Cleveland Opera,^[40] and in 1995, he sang the title role in Verdi's Rigoletto with Minnesota Opera.^[1] He sang the Sacristan in Tosca with Cleveland Opera in 2002.^[41] He later joined the roster of the Los Angeles Opera in 2006 singing Baron Duphol in La Traviata in a cast that included Renée Fleming.^[13] The production was broadcast by radio station WFMT in Los Angeles.^[42] With Los Angeles, he performed in The Bartered Bride.^[43] In 2007, Kraus portrayed the composer Antonio Salieri in a concert production of Rimsky-Korsakov's Mozart and Salieri.^[44]

Light Opera Works

Kraus, after having been involved with the Northwestern University Gilbert and Sullivan Guild as director, co-founded Light Opera Works in 1980,^[45] one of only a few professional companies devoted to the operetta genre in the United States. He served as Artistic Director for 19 seasons directing 38 mainstage productions. Under his artistic direction the company produced Chicago premieres and revivals of Orpheus in the Underworld (1881), The Beautiful Galatea (1982), Naughty Marietta (1983), Utopia, Limited (1984), The Gypsy Baron (1985), The Grand Duke (1992), The Grand Duchess of Gerolstein (1986),^[46] Die Fledermaus (1986, 1995),^[47] The Chocolate Soldier (1987),^[48] Wiener Blut (1989), Babes in Toyland (1993),^[49] La Vie parisienne (1984), The Golden Apple (1995), The Czardas Princess (1990) and Emmerich Kalman's little-known The Duchess of Chicago (1998).^[50] While Kraus was artistic director, the company also produced stage works of Kurt Weill, including Lady in the Dark (1989), Knickerbocker Holiday (1992), One Touch of Venus (1997) and all of the extant full-length Gilbert and Sullivan comic operas during his tenure with company.^[51]

Director, translator and educator

Kraus served as resident stage director for the Pamiro Opera in Green Bay, Wisconsin from 1988 to 1996, directing productions of L'Italiana in Algeri (1988),^[52] The Merry Widow (1989),^[53] The Daughter of the Regiment (1990),^[54]Die Fledermaus (1991),^[55] The Magic Flute (1992),^[56] La Traviata (1993),^[57] Madama Butterfly (1994),^[58] Rigoletto (1995),^[59] and the world premiere of Gordon Parmentier's The Lost Dauphin (2000), which was videotaped by Wisconsin Public Television for broadcast.^[60]

For the Chicago Cultural Center, he directed Poulenc's The Breasts of Tiresias in 2000 and Mozart's The Impresario in 2001^[61] for which he prepared the English translation. At the Lyric Opera Cleveland, he directed Patience, by Gilbert and Sullivan, in 2002,^[62] and The Mikado in 2004, in his 1986 Elizabethan concept.^[63] In 2017, he directed La Périchole for Tacoma Opera.^[64]

Kraus has prepared several English singing translations of operas and operettas in collaboration with lyricist Gregory Opelka. These include Oscar Straus' The Chocolate Soldier^[65] and A Waltz Dream ^[66] and Kalman's The Duchess of Chicago.^[67] Other translations include La Serva Padrona, Orpheus in the Underworld, Gianni Schicchi, Suor Angelica, The Coronation of Poppea and The Land of Smiles.

From 1982 to 1987, Kraus served as the Director of the De Paul University Opera Theater in Chicago^[68] and taught applied voice at De Paul from 1993 to 1999.^[1] From 1999 to 2002 Kraus served as the Director of Opera at Roosevelt University in Chicago.^[69] Kraus was a Lecturer at Northwestern University School of music in the opera program beginning in 2005.^[70][71]

References

1. "Guest Artists", Chicago City Wide Symphony Orchestra, accessed May 15, 2020
2. Review of The Knot Garden by Alan Swanson in Opera News, April 13, 1974 p. 23
3. "'Albert Herring' warm, tuneful and humorous", by Valerie Scher; review of Albert Herring in the Chicago Sun Times, April 13, 1979
4. Undated review of Gianni Schicchi from the Memphis Flyer interactive website (Issue 582)
5. Chicago Symphony Orchestra Program Booklet, 88th Season, 15th Subscription Week, Jan. 25-27, 1979
6. "Lists cast of recording of Fidelio". Archived from the original on 2007-06-09. Retrieved 2007-06-02.
7. "Grant Park Chorus lifts voices in Edwardian fest", by John Von Rhein; review of Haydn Mass in the Chicago Tribune, Aug. 18, 1979
8. "Levine puts passion in CSO's 'Onegin'", by John Von Rhein; review in the Chicago Tribune, July 1981 (includes a review of the Grant Park performance of The Kingdom)
9. Rosenberg, Donald. "H.M.S. Pinafore given smooth sailing", The Plain Dealer, Aug. 3, 1993
10. "Boris Godunov in 1997". Archived from the original on 2007-09-29. Retrieved 2007-06-02.
11. "Review in the Chicago Tribune, dated August 7, 1990". Archived from the original on June 13, 2007. Retrieved May 31, 2007.
12. "Singers, staging enhance Lyric's 'Figaro'", by Joseph Cunniff; review in the Hyde Park Herald, Oct. 23, 1991
13. Rich, Alan. "La Traviata", Variety, September 10, 2006, accessed May 15, 2020
14. "Opera Alfresco", by Ted Shen; review of La Traviata in The Reader Aug. 14, 1982
15. "Kinetic force, opera stars make oratorio entertaining at Ravinia", by John Von Rhein: review in the Chicago Tribune, July 10, 1978
16. "Foss, MSO deliver spirit of Requiem", by Tom Strini; review in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Jan.20, 1996
17. "Coppola keeps Verdi straight, but the artistry does sink in", by Clarke Bustard'; review in the Richmond Times-Dispatch, March 17, 1997 p. E5
18. "'Verdi Requiem' given powerful performances by SB Symphony", by Kenneth E. Bartlett; review in the Valley Voice, May 24, 1995
19. "CSO Chorus sines as it pays homage to Mozart", by Marc Shulgold; review in the Rocky Mountain News, March 16, 1996
20. "Handel Week Festival listing of soloists". Archived from the original on 2007-09-28. Retrieved 2007-05-28.
21. "Information from the Mahlerfest website". Archived from the original on 2007-09-28. Retrieved 2007-05-31.
22. "Note on the Elijah performance". Archived from the original on 2007-09-29. Retrieved 2007-05-28.
23. Von Rhein, John. "Falstaff Opens Chamber Opera Year", Chicago Tribune, March 13, 1966, accessed May 15, 2020
24. Skrebneski, Victor. Bravi: Lyric Opera of Chicago Abbeville Publishing Group, New York (1994) ISBN 1-55859-771-9. Gives dates of performances by Kraus from 1991 to 1994.
25. review of Candide in Opera News
26. Information from Lyric Opera website re: 1990-99 seasons Archived 2008-09-28 at the Wayback Machine
27. Holland, Bernard. "Opera Review; Words and Music, Not as Partners but as One", The New York Times, November 21, 2000, p. E5, accessed May 15, 2010
28. "review of Street Scene". Archived from the original on 2007-09-28. Retrieved 2007-05-25.
29. Tommasini, Anthony. "Lyric Opera Review; Innocence, Desire and Evil Amid the Sails and Salty Air", The New York Times, November 20, 2001, accessed May 15, 2020
30. "Information from Lyric Opera website re: 2000-04 seasons". Archived from the original on 2007-05-02. Retrieved 2007-05-31.
31. "Fanfaire website listing for Marriage of Figaro". Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2007-05-31.
32. "Reviews of The Cunning Little Vixen". Archived from the original on 2007-09-29. Retrieved 2007-05-31.
33. From the Lyric Opera website^{[permanent dead link‍]}
34. Johnson, Lawrence A. "A largely enjoyable Mikado this, at Lyric Opera". Chicago Classical Review, December 7, 2010
35. Waleson, Heidi. "Taking Gilbert & Sullivan Seriously". The Wall Street Journal, January 12, 2011
36. "Puccini's The Girl of the Golden West", WQXR, July 2, 2011, accessed May 15, 2020
37. "Osborn Replaces Flórez in Lyric's Barber of Seville", BroadwayWorld.com, February 14, 2008, accessed May 15, 2020; and "Lyric Opera of Chicago Presents The Family Barber Today", BroadwayWorld.com, March 22, 2014, accessed May 15, 2020
38. Ketterson, Mark Thomas. "Werther", Opera News, November 11, 2012, accessed May 15, 2020
39. Hunt, Aaron. "Threads of Silver and Gold", Chicago Theatre & Concert Reviews, February 14, 2016, accessed May 15, 2020
40. Rosenberg, Donald. "Britten's "Albert Herring' is the operatic catch of the day", The Plain Dealer, April 10, 1994
41. "Information from the FanFaire website listing for Tosca". Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2007-06-02.
42. WFMT's website
43. Von Rhein, John. "Bartered Bride lacks the elements", Chicago Tribune, October 12, 1992, p. 14
44. Announcement of the concert
45. Article noting milestones in Chicago theatre^{[permanent dead link‍]}
46. Article on Grand Duchess (not free)
47. Assistant director's resume mentions that Kraus directed this production
48. Article on The Chocolate Soldier (not free)
49. "Lists Babes in Toyland and Iolanthe directed by Kraus". Archived from the original on 2007-09-28. Retrieved 2007-05-31.
50. Fishman, Elly. "A Chicago sausage heiress in Yekaterinburg, Russia?", Chicago Reader, March 27, 2012, accessed May 15, 2020; and Article on The Duchess of Chicago (not free)
51. "Past productions at Light Opera Works/Music Theater Works, accessed May 15, 2020
52. "Pamiro delights full house", review of L'Italiana in Algeri by Terence O'Grady in the Green Bay Press-Gazette, September 24, 1988
53. "Merry Widow" is a Pamiro Pleaser", review of The Merry Widow by Terence O'Grady in the Green Bay Press-Gazette September 18, 1989
54. "'Daughter" delights eye and ear", review by Michael Bent in the Appleton Post-Crescent September 1990
55. "Solid performances let audience soar with 'The Bat'", review by Terence O'Grady in the Green Bay Press-Gazette, September 16, 1991
56. "'The Magic Flute' performs magic throughout opera", review by Terence O'Grady in the Green Bay Press-Gazette, September 1992
57. "Pamiro brings arias to the area", review of La Traviata by Michael Bent in the Appleton Post-Crescent, September 14, 1993 p. D-5
58. "Pamiro Opera Growing in Stature", review of Madama Butterfly by Erik Eriksson in the Door County Advocate, September 15, 1994 Section 1 p. 14
59. "Pamiro, baritone soar in updated 'Rigoletto'", review by Terence O'Grady in the Green Bay Press-Gazette, Oct. 1, 1995 p. B-5
60. "'Lost Dauphin' an extraordinary find", review by Erik Eriksson in the Green Bay News-Chronicle May 26, 2000, Variety Section p. 26 (note: this review mentions that the opera was recorded for both public radio and public television.)
61. "Performer resume mentions that Kraus directed the production". Archived from the original on 2007-10-08. Retrieved 2007-06-02.
62. "Review of Patience". Archived from the original on 2007-09-26. Retrieved 2007-06-02.
63. Review of this concept production of The Mikado
64. "Philip Kraus, Baritone, Director", Opera Base, accessed May 15, 2020
65. Review of North Star Opera's The Chocolate Soldier with Kraus' libretto
66. A Waltz Dream reviewed by Kathleen Tobin in The Beverly Review, July 15, 1992
67. Information about a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania production of Duchess in 2007
68. Bulletin, p. 269
69. p. 320 Faculty, Administration and Board of Trustees^{[permanent dead link‍]}
70. "Faculty profiles". Archived from the original on 2007-05-09. Retrieved 2007-05-25.
71. "Artistic Staff 1981–1999", Light Opera Works, accessed May 15, 2020

• International Who's Who in Music and Musicians Directory, 1990-1991, Twelfth Edition, edited by David M. Cummings and Dennis K. McIntire; p. 475. ISBN 0-948875-20-8

External links

• Official Philip Kraus Website
• Light Opera Works: A Historical Retrospective 1981–1999
• Chicago Concert Artists Website
• Profile of Kraus from Los Angeles Opera
• 2012 profile of Kraus from Handel Week Festival
• Two interviews with Philip Kraus, June 11, 1990, and May 31, 1995.