Adalbert Kraus

Career

Adalbert Kraus first graduated in German studies, theology, and philosophy and in 1967, began to study voice at the Hochschule für Musik Würzburg with Henriette Klink-Schneider.

He was a lyric tenor at the Staatsoper Hannover from 1970 to 1974. His roles included Andres in Berg's Wozzeck, Toni in Henze's Elegy for Young Lovers, and Lord Bucklaw in Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor. He sang the role of Peter Iwanow in a 1976 recording of Albert Lortzing's Zar und Zimmermann with Lucia Popp as Marie, Karl Ridderbusch as van Bett, and Hermann Prey as Peter I.

He frequently sang the tenor part in the complete recording of Bach cantatas and oratorios of Helmuth Rilling and the Gächinger Kantorei, also the Evangelist in his passions. In Bach's Easter Oratorio, he performed the tenor part of Simon Peter, singing with the bass (portraying John the Apostle) the first duet Kommt, eilet und laufet (Come, hasten and run).

He also recorded rarely performed works such as Argenore of Markgräfin W. v. Bayreuth or the Lukas-Passion of Georg Philipp Telemann.

Adalbert Kraus was a teacher at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater München, the Würzburg College of Music, and a guest lecturer at both the Tokyo College of Music and the Internationale Bachakademie Stuttgart.

He wrote books on religious and philosophical topics such as Die leuchtende Spur – Orientierung im 21. Jahrhundert and Ein Gott – Eine Weltreligion.

Selected recordings