Michael Hampe
Born(1935-06-03)3 June 1935
Heidelberg, Baden, Germany
Died18 November 2022(2022-11-18) (aged 87)
Zürich, Switzerland
Education
Occupations
Organizations

Michael Hampe (3 June 1935 – 18 November 2022) was a German theatre and opera director, general manager (Intendant) and actor.[1] He developed from acting and directing plays at German and Swiss theatres including the Bern Theatre, to focus on directing opera and managing opera houses, first at the Mannheim National Theatre, then the Cologne Opera from 1975. He was professor at the Hochschule für Musik und Tanz Köln since 1977. Hampe was influential for both the Salzburg Festival and, after the reunification of Germany, the Dresden Music Festival for which he commissioned and directed world premieres. He directed at international opera houses and festivals, including productions recorded for television, film and DVD.

Life and career

Born in Heidelberg on 3 June 1935,[2][3] Hampe was the son of the architect Hermann Hampe and his wife Annemarie née Ebler. His grandfather was the historian Karl Hampe; his great-grandfather was the cultural historian Johannes Scherr. Hampe attended the humanist Gymnasium in Heidelberg. During this time he spent a year in the United States, where he studied chamber music as a cellist at Syracuse University, New York,[2] with Louis Krasner.[3][4] After graduation, he trained as an actor at the Otto-Falckenberg-Schule in Munich.[5] He also studied dramatics and musicology at the Heidelberg University and in Munich. He studied further in Vienna with Heinz Kindermann, and submitted his doctoral dissertation on the development of stage technology.[2]

Engagements as an actor and stage director in German and Swiss theatres followed. His time at the Bern Theatre between 1963 and 1965 proved key to his development as a director,[5] where he staged works including Oedipus Rex by Sophocles, Molière's The Misanthrope, Goethe's Faust I, Brecht's Life of Galileo, Mozart's operas Idomeneo and Die Zauberflöte,[6] and Heinrich Sutermeister's Der rote Stiefel.[5]

From 1972 to 1975, Hampe was general manager and artistic director (Intendant) of the Mannheim National Theatre.[2][7]

In 1975, Hampe was named general manager and artistic director of the Cologne Opera,[2][8] a position he held for 20 years.[2] During his tenure, the Cologne Opera became one of the leading opera houses in Europe. His productions of works by Richard Wagner and Gioachino Rossini are remembered, as well as his engagement for the operas of Benjamin Britten and Leos Janáček.[9] His 1979 production of Cimarosa's Il matrimonio segreto became a worldwide success with performances in London, Paris, Edinburgh, Venice, Stockholm, Washington, Tokyo and Dresden, and was awarded international prizes including the Olivier Award.[5] He returned to Cologne in the 2015/16 season to direct Puccini's La bohème, a season later Beethoven's Fidelio,[10] and in the 2020/21 season Mozart's Die Zauberflöte.[10][11]

Hampe was on the board of directors of the Salzburg Festival[2][12] from 1983 until 1990, where he was the stage director for productions, often in collaboration with the scenic designer Mauro Pagano.[13][14] His productions included the world premiere of Henze's adaptation of Monteverdi's Il ritorno d'Ulisse in patria in 1985,[15][16] Don Giovanni conducted by Herbert von Karajan in 1987, Rossini's La Cenerentola conducted by Riccardo Chailly in 1988, and Le nozze di Figaro conducted by Bernard Haitink in 1991.[17]

Hampe served as a guest director at major opera houses and festivals. For The Royal Opera, London, he directed Andrea Chénier (1984), and Rossini's The Barber of Seville (1985) and La Cenerentola (1990).[7] Other organizations where he directed include La Scala in Milan, as well as in Paris, Munich, Athens, Stockholm, Helsinki, San Francisco,[18] Los Angeles, Washington,[19] Buenos Aires, Santiago de Chile, Sydney and Tokyo,[20][21] and at festivals in Florence, Pesaro, Ravenna, Drottningholm, Edinburgh and Lucerne Festival. Many of his productions were recorded for television broadcast or made into films. The total number of his productions is more than 260 as of 2020.[22]

After the Reunification of Germany, Hampe assumed the artistic direction of the Dresden Music Festival,[2][23] which he led to new international recognition, together with Kim Ry Andersen as managing and deputy director. During his tenure from 1993 to 2000,[24] he commissioned works from composers such as Siegfried Matthus (Farinelli, 1998)[25] and Wilfried Maria Danner (Die Sündflut, 2002), directing their world premieres. His 2000 production of Handel's Serse at the Semperoper[26] was recorded for the internet.[27]

Teaching

Hampe was professor at the Hochschule für Musik und Tanz Köln since 1977.[28] He also taught at numerous universities and academies in Germany and abroad, including Yale University[29] and the University of Southern California (USC),[2] as well as Europäische Akademie für Musik und Darstellende Kunst Palazzo Ricci, Montepulciano.[30] Hampe was honorary board member of the European Music Theater Academy (EMA) in Vienna.[31]

Theatre construction consultant

Hampe was in demand as a theatre construction expert and was vice president of the German Theatre Technology Society. He consulted for the buildings of the Opéra Bastille in Paris and the New National Theatre Tokyo, as well as renovation and modernisation of older theatres.[32]

Death

Hampe died in Zürich on 18 November 2022, at the age of 87.[33][10]

Awards and distinctions

Hampe was awarded the Commander's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, the Goldenes Ehrenzeichen des Landes Salzburg and was named Commendatore of the Italian Republic. He was an honorary member of numerous organisations and federations.[10]

Works and publications

  • Oper in Köln. Michael Hampe 1975–1995. Illustrations by Paul Leclaire, collaboration with Franz-Peter Kothes; Wienand Verlag, Cologne 1995, ISBN 978-3-87909-429-5.
  • Alles Theater – Reden und Aufsätze. With illustrations by Mauro Pagano; Wienand Verlag, Cologne 2000, ISBN 3-87909-695-3.
  • Oper – Spiel ohne Regel. Hollitzer Wissenschaftsverlag, Vienna 2013, ISBN 978-3-99012-100-9.
  • Hat die Oper eine Zukunft? Ferdinand Schöningh Verlag, Paderborn 2013, ISBN 978-3-506-77300-5.
  • Opernschule für Liebhaber, Macher und Verächter des Musiktheaters. Böhlau Verlag Vienna / Cologne / Weimar 2015, ISBN 978-3-412-22500-1.
    • English edition: The Crafty Art of Opera. The Boydell Press, Woodbridge 2016, ISBN 978-1-78204-700-1
    • Japanese edition: Opera no gakkō. Suiyosha Verlag, Tokyo 2017.[34]
  • Über Theater, Reden und Schriften. Wienand Verlag, Cologne 2015, ISBN 978-3-86832-259-0

Archive and estate

Part of Hampe's archive is located in the University of Cologne's theatre collection, which will also receive and administer his complete theatrical estate.[35]

References

  1. ↑ Buck, Elmar (2007). Köln, die Stadt und ihr Theater: Orte und Personen : Oper, Schauspiel, Tanz : Dokumente der Theaterwissenschaftlichen Sammlung Schloss Wahn, Universität zu Köln (in German). M. Faste Verlag. p. 266. ISBN 978-3-931691-52-3.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Michael Hampe – Oper Köln". www.oper.koeln. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  3. 1 2 "Hampe, Michael". Munzinger Online/Personen – Internationales Biographisches Archiv (in German). Ravensburg: Munzinger Online/KLfG. 2008. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  4. ↑ Hampe, Michael (2015). Opernschule: Für Liebhaber, Macher und Verächter des Musiktheaters (in German). Böhlau Verlag Köln. p. 141. ISBN 978-3-412-22500-1. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Andreas Kotte, ed. (2005). "Michael Hampe". Theaterlexikon der Schweiz / Dictionnaire du théâtre en Suisse / Dizionario Teatrale Svizzero / Lexicon da teater svizzer [Theater Dictionary of Switzerland]. Vol. 2. Zürich: Chronos. pp. 791–792. ISBN 978-3-0340-0715-3. LCCN 2007423414. OCLC 62309181.
  6. ↑ Weiden, Olaf (4 October 2020). "Märchenhaft: Michael Hampe bringt die "Zauberflöte" zurück nach Köln". Kölnische Rundschau (in German). Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  7. 1 2 Blyth, Alan (2001). "Hampe, Michael (Hermann)". In Stanley Sadie; John Tyrrell (eds.). The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians (2nd ed.). London: Macmillan.
  8. ↑ Umbach, Klaus (22 June 1981). "SPIEGEL Gespräch : "Es müßte mehr, nicht weniger Oper geben" – Der Spiegel 26/1981". Der Spiegel (in German). Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  9. ↑ "Oper Köln: Regisseur Michael Hampe verstorben". stereo.de (in German). 21 November 2022. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
  10. 1 2 3 4 "Michael Hampe +" (in German). Cologne Opera. 21 November 2022. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
  11. ↑ "Prachtvolle "Zauberflöte" in der Regie des Altmeisters Michael Hampe in Köln". DAS OPERNMAGAZIN (in German). 5 October 2020. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  12. ↑ "Hat die Oper eine Zukunft?". idw-online.de. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  13. ↑ "Salzburger Festspiele > INSTITUTION > ARCHIV > Archivdetail". archive.salzburgerfestspiele.at. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  14. ↑ "MusicalAmerica – Festival of the Year:The Salzburg Festival, Ever Young at 100". www.musicalamerica.com. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  15. ↑ "The History of the Salzburg Festival /1985". Salzburg Festival. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  16. ↑ Umbach, Klaus (18 August 1985). "Vierspännig durchs Land des Hechelns". Der Spiegel (in German). Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  17. ↑ "Mit Mozart aus der Krise | choices – Kultur. Kino. Köln". www.choices.de. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  18. ↑ Productions with Michael Hampe archive San Francisco.
  19. ↑ "History | Kennedy Center". www.kennedy-center.org. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  20. ↑ "Headfull – Opera 2017: Das Rheingold". headfull.jp. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  21. ↑ "Biwako Hall in Japan to Perform 'Götterdämmerung' without Audience". Opera Wire. 5 March 2020. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  22. ↑ "Michael Hampe, Regie". Operabase (in German). Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  23. ↑ "Musik und Fragen zur Person – Der Regisseur Michael Hampe". Deutschlandfunk (in German). Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  24. ↑ "Oper von Wilfried Maria Danner eröffnet 16. Europäische Kulturtage – neue musikzeitung". nmz (in German). Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  25. ↑ Umbach, Klaus (March 1998). "Rülpser zwischen Samt und Seide". Der Spiegel (in German). Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  26. ↑ Michael Hampe / Inszenierung Semperoper Dresden, 2021
  27. ↑ opera Handel's Serse medici.tv 2000
  28. ↑ "HfMT Köln: Lehrende". HfMT Köln (in German). Retrieved 13 March 2021.
  29. ↑ "Performance Activities". Bulletin of Yale University. 1 January 2020. Retrieved 13 March 2021.
  30. ↑ "Palazzo Ricci: Dozentenarchiv". www.palazzoricci.com. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  31. ↑ "Honorary Members of the Academy". Europäische Musiktheater-Akademie. 13 March 2021. Retrieved 13 March 2021.
  32. ↑ "Michael Hampe – Deutsche Oper am Rhein". operamrhein.de. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  33. ↑ "Regisseur und Intendant Michael Hampe gestorben" (in German). WDR. 21 November 2022. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
  34. ↑ Opera no gakkō Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek
  35. ↑ Wilmes, Hartmut (21 December 2005). "Schatzhaus in Gefahr". Kölnische Rundschau (in German). Retrieved 13 March 2021.

Further reading

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