Kostas Paskalis

Kostas Paskalis (September 1, 1929, Levadeia - February 9, 2007, Athens) was a Greek opera singer, one of the leading baritones of the 1960s and 1970s in Europe, particularly associated with the Italian repertory.

Paskalis studied piano before turning to vocal studies at the Athens Music Conservatory. He sang in the chorus of the Athens Opera, before making his solo debut there, as Rigoletto, in 1951.

His international career began in 1958, at the Vienna State Opera, as Renato in "Un ballo in maschera", where he remained for 25 years, quickly establishing himself in all the major baritone roles of the Italian repertory, especially Verdi roles, notably Rigoletto, Macbeth and Iago. Macbeth was to be his debut role at both the Glyndebourne Festival in 1964, and at Covent Garden London in 1969.

In 1966, he created the role of Pentheus in Henze's "Die Bassariden", at the Salzburg Festival and also sang at the premiere of the work at La Scala in 1967. Other notables roles included; Barnaba, Alfio, Tonio, Scarpia, Escamillo, etc. He made frequent guest appearances at the Rome Opera, the Munich State Opera, the Berlin State Opera, La Monnaie in Brussels, also appearing in Hamburg, Moscow, Leningrad, etc.

Though mostly active in Europe, Paskalis did appear in America. He sang Alfonso in the sensational concert performance of "Lucrezia Borgia", opposite Montserrat Caballé, at Carnegie Hall, in 1965. That same year he made his debut at the Metropolitan Opera, as Carlo in "La forza del destino", where he sang 16 performances there until 1967. He also appeared at the San Francisco Opera, the New Orleans Opera, the Houston Grand Opera, etc.

After retirement, he remained active as a teacher and judge at vocal competition. He was artistic director of the Greek National Opera from 1988 to 1990.

Paskalis was much admired during his career for his dark and virile voice, his expansive phrasing, and his vivid stage presence. In 1969-70, he recorded Escamillo in the "opéra-comique" version of "Carmen", opposite Grace Bumbry, Jon Vickers and Mirella Freni, conducted by Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos, for EMI.

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* "Opera News", Obituaries, May 2007.