The Swedish dramatic baritone John Lundgren has announced his retirement on Instagram.
– After 25 years in this extraordinary industry, in over 60 roles, on over 50 different opera and concert stages around the world this chapter has finally come to a close. I have for some time now felt a longing and excitement to get to start a new chapter in my professional life.
– I feel such deep gratitude and tremendous joy over all the marvelous colleagues – on, behind and under the stage – that I have had the great privilege to meet and work with these years. And I am so grateful for the wonderful audience, some of whom have become my dear friends, who have come and listened to me night after night.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you, Leb wohl and so long!
A sociologist by training, Lundgren rose at the Royal Danish Opera and was hired in 2015 at Bayreuth as Wotan. Aftwer three successful years, he cancelled two further summers for personal reasons. John Lundgren suffered bad review in Walküre in Stockholm last month and was replaced after the second act on March 26. That seems likely to be his last performance.
Outside of the standard repertoire, he sang in The Tempest by Thomas Adès , Notorious by Hans Gefors and Cecilia and the Monkey King by Reine Jönsson.
We send him best wishes for a happy retirement.
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