Jochen Kowalski
Jochen Kowalski is one of the foremost countertenors of his generation, but his slightly lower timbre -- a sort of mezzo or alto aspect within the countertenor range -- distinguishes his voice in a way that sets him apart from most of his rivals. He does not achieve his higher range through falsetto singing, but through the more natural modal voice. Besides his considerable vocal skills, Kowalski is known as one of the finest actors on the operatic stage. His repertory is broad, too: though he has traversed much Baroque fare, from J.S. Bach cantatas, Handel operas and oratorios (Giulio in Giulio Cesare, Giustino, Daniel in Belshazzar, etc.), and Gluck's Orfeo (his favorite role), he has also taken on Mussorgsky (Fyodor in Boris Godunov), Johann Strauss II (Orlovsky in Die Fledermaus), and Britten (Oberon in A Midsummer Night's Dream). But he has ventured into contemporary opera, as well, most notably as Creon in the 1995 premiere of Rolf Liebermann's Freispruch für Medea. Kowalski has made numerous recordings spread over many labels, including Capriccio, Philips, Teldec, Berlin Classics, and ArtHaus Musik.
Jochen Kowalski was born in Wachow, (East) Germany, on January 30, 1954. From 1977, he trained as a tenor at Berlin's Hanns Eisler Music Conservatory, but by his 1981 debut as an apprentice in Wagner's Die Meistersinger at the Komische Oper in Berlin, he had begun singing as a countertenor.
Kowalski continued singing at the Komische Oper even after his 1983 graduation. He debuted at the Hamburg Opera in 1984 as Daniel in a staged presentation of Handel's oratorio Belshazzar. More important debuts would shortly follow, including at the Vienna State Opera (1986) as Giustino, the Netherlands Opera (1987), Paris Opera (1988), and at Covent Garden, but with the touring Komische Oper (1989).
Meanwhile, his recordings were making headway: his 1987 Capriccio CD of Handel and Mozart arias drew many accolades, but it was probably his portrayal of Gluck's Orfeo, also on Capriccio (1989), that helped make him an international star.
Kowalski debuted with great success at the Met in 1994 as Orlovsky and returned there in the same role the following year. In the latter 1990s he turned out several critically acclaimed recital discs, including the 1997 Schubert Die Schöne Müllerin on Capriccio and the 1998 Berlin Classics collection Jochen Kowalski Sings Airs. In the new century Kowalski remained active at major operatic venues and concert halls.
© TiVo
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Opera Arias (Counter-Tenor): Kowalski, Jochen - GRAUN, C.H. / BONONCINI, G. / TELEMANN, G.P. / HASSE, A. H. / PREUSSEN, F. II von / AGRICOLA, J.H.
Opéra - Paru chez Berlin Classics le 1 janv. 1987
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Orfeo Ed Euridice
Jochen Kowalski, Dagmar Schellenberger, Christian Fliegner, Rundfunkchor Berlin, Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach Chamber Orchestra, Hartmut Haenchen
Opéra - Paru chez CapriccioNR le 3 mars 2010
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Opera Arias (Counter-Tenor): Kowalski, Jochen - Handel, G.F. / Mozart, W.A.
Jochen Kowalski, Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach Chamber Orchestra, Hartmut Haenchen
Musique vocale (profane et sacrée) - Paru chez CapriccioNR le 1 janv. 1987
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Handel, G.F.: Cantatas - Hwv 109, 112, 132C, 166, 175
Jochen Kowalski, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, Siegfried Pank, Karl-Heinz Passin, Christine Schornsheim
Musique vocale (profane et sacrée) - Paru chez CapriccioNR le 1 janv. 1991
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Vivaldi: Stabat Mater
Jochen Kowalski, Concertgebouw Chamber Orchestra, Vittorio Negri
Classique - Paru chez Decca Music Group Ltd. le 1 janv. 1991
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Airs d'Opéra - Airs sacrés - Cantates italiennes
Musique vocale (profane et sacrée) - Paru chez CapriccioNR le 28 sept. 2010
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
PERGOLESI, G.B.: Stabat mater / Salve regina (Kowalski)
Classique - Paru chez Berlin Classics le 1 janv. 1993
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
L'album d'Opéra Russe
Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra, Jochen Kowalski, Michail Jurowski, Olga Schalajewa
Opéra - Paru chez Capriccio le 1 août 2010
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Handel, G.F.: Arias
Musique vocale (profane et sacrée) - Paru chez CapriccioNR le 1 janv. 2005
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Opera Arias (Counter-Tenor): Kowalski, Jochen -
Jochen Kowalski, Rundfunk Sinfonieorchester Berlin, Berlin Deutsches Symphony Orchestra, Heinz Fricke
Opéra - Paru chez CapriccioNR le 1 janv. 1992
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Operetta Arias (Counter-Tenor): Kowalski, Jochen - Lehar, F. / Abraham, P. / Stolz, R. / Millocker, K. / Kunneke, E. / Strauss Ii / Lincke, P.
Jochen Kowalski, Münchner Rundfunkorchester, Heinz Fricke
Musique vocale (profane et sacrée) - Paru chez CapriccioNR le 1 janv. 1999
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Christmas Vocal Music - Reichardt, J.F. / Bach, J.S. / Neuner, K. / Adam, A. / Gumpelzhaimer, A. / Brahms, J. / Handel, G.F.
Jochen Kowalski, Philharmonic Art Ensemble, Frank Bohme
Musique vocale (profane et sacrée) - Paru chez CapriccioNR le 1 janv. 1998
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Capital Dance Orchestra presents Jochen Kowalski
Jochen Kowalski, The Capital Dance Orchestra
Jazz - Paru chez MFE Records le 27 juil. 2007
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Cantates
Jochen Kowalski, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, Kenneth Sillito
Musique vocale (profane et sacrée) - Paru chez CapriccioNR le 1 janv. 1995
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Arien aus der Berliner Operngeschichte
Jochen Kowalski, Kammerorchester Berlin, Max Pommer
Opéra - Paru chez Eterna le 1 janv. 1987
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Vocal Recital: Kowalski, Jochen - Erwin, R. / Jary, M. / Schultze, N. / Doelle, F. / Mackeben, T. / Casucci, L. / Benatzky, R. (Evergreens)
Jochen Kowalski, Cologne Salon Orchestra, Daniel Morgenroth, Wilhelm Neuhaus
Musique vocale (profane et sacrée) - Paru chez CapriccioNR le 1 janv. 1995
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Vocal Recital: Kowalski, Jochen - Bach, J.S. / Handel, G.F.
Jochen Kowalski, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, Sir Neville Marriner
Musique vocale (profane et sacrée) - Paru chez CapriccioNR le 1 janv. 1994
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Vocal Recital: Kowalski, Jochen - TELEMANN, G.P. / GRAUN, C.H. / AGRICOLA, J. / HASSE, J.A. / PERGOLESI, G.B. / BACH, J.S. / HANDEL, G.F.
Classique - Paru chez Berlin Classics le 12 nov. 1998
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Arnold Winternitz: Melodramen (Nachtigall und Kröte)
Jochen Kowalski, Salonorchester "Unter'n Linden", Uwe Hilprecht
Classique - Paru chez Auris subtilis le 5 avr. 2024
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Handel, G.F.: Solo Cantatas / Opera Arias
Musique vocale (profane et sacrée) - Paru chez Phoenix le 4 mai 2009
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Schubert, F.: Schone Mullerin (Die)
Jochen Kowalski, Markus Hinterhauser
Musique vocale (profane et sacrée) - Paru chez CapriccioNR le 1 janv. 1997
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo