Ivar Andresen

One of the most imposing Wagnerian basses of the twentieth century, Ivar Andrésen sang in many of the world's major opera centers. A true bass, his massive, yet beautiful voice commanded attention even when his interpretations and movement tended toward the phlegmatic. His appearances in London and New York and at the Bayreuth Festival were celebrated and his early death represented a significant loss to several opera houses. Many of his numerous recordings are still regarded as definitive, both in the Wagnerian repertory and elsewhere. After vocal and theatrical studies in S...