Breathtaking and heartbreaking as Captain Vere

The tenor’s debut as Captain Vere in Britten’s Billy Budd captivated sold out audiences.

One reviewer wrote: “The American tenor celebrated his 70th anniversary at the beginning of the year… and has now added another important role to his already extensive repertoire with this game. What other tenor already has at the same time the title heroes of "Poliuto" by Donizetti and "Peter Grimes" by Britten, the Radames in "Aida" and the Alvaro in "La forza del destino", the Pollione in Bellini's "Norma" and the Des Grieux in Puccini's "Manon Lescaut", the Calaf in Puccini's Turandot" and the Samson in "Samson et Dalila" by Saint-Saens, the title heroes in Verdi's "Otello" and Giordanos "Andrea Chénier", the Manrico in "Troubadour" and the Jean in Meyerbeer's "Le Prophète", the title parts in the Verdi operas "Don Carlos" and "Ernani", the Énée in "Les Troyes" and the Rodolfo in "Luisa Miller", the Cavaradossi in "Tosca", The Florestan in "Fidelio" and the "Bacchus in "Ariadne on Naxos", the Luigi in Puccini's "Il Tabarro" and the Canio in "Bajazzo", the Éléazar in "La Juive" and now also the Captain Vere in the repertoire? And these are just the parts that Gregory Kunde has sung in the last six years. He does not present Captain Vere as an introverted and sensitive man… Kunde's captain is very down-to-earth, a man who radiates authority and who is trusted to lead a warship. In his opening monologue "I am an old man" the voice actually sounds like the voice of an old man, but then he sings the part with a warm tone and beautiful sound - there you hear his experience in the bel canto subject at the beginning of his career. The highs do not seem to cause him any difficulties and still sound more glamorous than with some younger colleagues. Hopefully he will soon be heard again at the Vienna State Opera.”

Another review raved: “Wiener Staatsoper’s revival of Billy Budd, in an iconic 2001 production by Willy Decker, features a role debut by a 70-year-old American tenor in the shape of Gregory Kunde as Captain Vere. Solid in his mastery of the idioms of Benjamin Britten’s picturesque and yet deeply psychological music, stylish and powerful in voice, Kunde created a multi dimensional figure whose reminiscences of the execution of young recruit Budd aboard a battleship, for inciting mutiny and committing murder, bookend the opera. Starting with a seemingly simple monologue, “I am an old man…”, Vere’s youthful confidence as a leader and protector of law and order goes through doubts and regrets. Unable and unwilling to save the young sailor’s life, Kunde’s Vere is a broken man at the end, seeking solace and redemption. It was a masterclass in storytelling via singing and acting, a breathtaking and heartbreaking performance. Kunde’s voice cut through the orchestra like a sharp knife as needed; yet he sang with warmth and beauty in quiet moments. A charismatic presence on stage, he held the audience’s attention throughout.”