Günther Groissböck

Download Biography: DE / EN / FR

Günther Groissböck enchants on the opera and concert stages around the world - with the unique noble sound of his voice and virtually breathtaking verve of performance, he awakens his characters, and makes each song cycle authentically come alive.

After his studies at the University for Music and the Performing Arts in Vienna with Robert Holl and José van Dam, the Austrian bass was a member of the ensemble at the Vienna State Opera during the 2002/03 season, and at the Zurich Opera from 2003 to 2007. In 2002 he made his debut at the Salzburg Festival, where - in 2014 - he celebrated his much acclaimed role debut as Ochs in "Der Rosenkavalier" directed by Harry Kupfer. In 2011 he debuted at La Scala in Milan, as well as - as Landgraf Hermann (“Tannhäuser”) - at the Bayreuth Festival where he has been a regular guest ever since, singing roles including Gurnemanz (“Parsifal”), Fasolt („Rheingold“) and Pogner in the renowned “Meistersinger” production by Barrie Kosky and Philippe Jordan.

„Günther Groissböck as Baron Ochs is unbeatable: perfect in his Viennese diction, commanding in his taste, a comedian without being cheesy, vocally a man of the world of melodiousness and finest articulation, at the same time elegant in the command of his light-footed bass voice.”Jan Brachmann, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, 11.02.2020

As one of the most sought singers of his fach, celebrated by audience and media alike, Günther Groissböck guests at the leading opera houses of the world. He has a particular close connection to the Vienna State Opera, the Bavarian State Opera where he sings parts including Gremin (“Eugen Onegin”), König Heinrich (“Lohengrin”), Vodník (“Rusalka”), and Kecal (“Verkaufte Braut”), as well as the Metropolitan Opera in New York, where – since his debut in 2010 as Colline (“La Bohème”) – he has been heard in roles including Ochs („Der Rosenkavalier“), Landgraf Hermann („Tannhäuser“) or Filippo II („Don Carlo“). Guestings bring him to opera houses including the Paris Opera, La Scala in Milan, the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, as well as the Deutsche Oper, and the Staatsoper Unter den Linden in Berlin, where he recently created a furore as Ochs in "Der Rosenkavalier" in February 2020 in the new production by André Heller and Zubin Mehta.
His particular enthusiasm for art song reveals itself in his programs – created with love for detail and thorough knowledge of repertoire – which he performs in Salzburg, Munich, Vienna and New York. Together with Malcolm Martineau he recorded his new album "Nicht Wiedersehen!" with songs by Strauss, Mahler and Hans Rott which was awarded a Choc de Classica, with Gerold Huber he recorded the double album “Winterreise”/ ”Schwanengesang” and “Herz-Tod” with works by Brahms, Wagner, Wolf and Mahler, as well as an album with traditional Viennese Songs with the Philharmonia Schrammeln. Günther Groissböck feels at home in the symphonic repertoire as well – from Haydn's “Creation” to Shostakovitch's Symphony No. 13 “Babi Jar” – he invariably impresses through musical expression, stylistic command, and a particularly clear articulation. Concerts bring him to halls including the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, the Amsterdam Concertgebouw, the Leipzig Gewandhaus, to the philharmonic halls in Munich and Berlin, the Musikverein and Konzerthaus in Vienna, to Carnegie Hall as well as Boston Symphony Hall. A close collaboration connects him with conductors like Philippe Jordan, James Levine, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Zubin Mehta, Andris Nelsons, Antonio Pappano, Kirill Petrenko, Sir Simon Rattle and Christian Thielemann.

„Superlative voice, brilliant technique and an excellent programme. This Wigmore Hall recital had it all. (…) As was demonstrated time and again across the evening, he has a beautifully rich and powerful bass, capable of bringing immense sensitivity to lines that are still asserted strongly, and is quite simply outstanding.”Sam Smith, music OHM, 02.02.2022

With his much noticed debut as a stage director in 2021 at the Theater an der Wien with “Tristan Experiment”, Günther Groissböck took on a new exciting challenge which he will further explore in his new production of Verdi’s “Don Carlo” at Oper Klosterneuburg in the summer of 2023. Further plans include song recitals at the Vienna Musikverein, London’s Wigmore Hall (for the 3rd season running), the Theatre de La Monnaie in Brussels, and at the Hamburg Elbphiharmonie; König Marke („Tristan“), Gurnemanz („Parsifal“), Pogner („Meistersinger“) and Sarastro („Die Zauberflöte“) at the Wiener Staatsoper, Archibaldo (“L’amore dei tre re”) at La Scala in Milan, Ochs (“Rosenkavalier“) and König Heinrich („Lohengrin“) at the Berlin Staatsoper, Gurnemanz („Parsifal“) and König Marke („Tristan“) at the Deutsche Oper Berlin. His acclaimed role debut as Boris Ismailov („Lady Macbeth von Mzensk“) at the Wiener Staatsoper will be followed by concert performances in Boston and at Carnegie Hall in New York with the Boston Symphony Orchestra under Andris Nelsons.
His new Lied album „Männerliebe und -leben“ with Malcom Martineau with songs and cycles by composers including Beethoven, Schumann, Wolf, Pfitzner and Rudi Stephan, will be released in November 2023 by Gramola / Naxos international.

2023/24

This biography is to be reproduced without any changes, omissions or additions, unless expressly authorized by artist management.

Contact: Katja Hippler

Song recitals | Programmes

Männerliebe und -leben | A Man's Love and Life
with Malcolm Martineau, piano

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
An die ferne Geliebte, op. 98

Robert Schumann (1810-1856)
Dichterliebe, op. 48
***

Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)
Wie bist du meine Königin, op. 32 / 9
Unbewegte laue Luft, op. 57 / 8
Dein blaues Auge, op. 59 / 8
Die Mainacht, op. 43 / 2 (L. Hölty)
Nicht mehr zu dir zu gehen, op. 32 / 2

Hugo Wolf (1860-1903)
Verborgenheit, Mörike-Lieder, Nr. 12
Harfenspieler I, Goethe-Lieder, Aus: Wilhelm Meister: Nr. 1
Harfenspieler II, Goethe-Lieder, Aus: Wilhelm Meister: Nr. 2
Harfenspieler III, Goethe-Lieder, Aus: Wilhelm Meister: Nr. 3

Hans Pfitzner (1869-1949)
4 Lieder, op. 32
Nr. 1 Hussens Kerker
Nr. 2 Säerspruch
Nr. 3 Eingelegte Ruder
Nr. 4 Lass scharren deiner Rosse Huf

Rudi Stephan (1887-1915)
Zwei ernste Gesänge (1913/14)
Nr. 1 Am Abend
Nr. 2 Memento vivere

Nicht Wiedersehen! | Never to meet again!
with Malcolm Martineau, piano

Schumann:
Blondels Lied, op. 53/1
Die feindlichen Brüder, op. 49/2
Belsazar, op. 57
Die beiden Grenadiere, op. 49/1

Rott:
Der Sänger (1880)
Geistesgruß (ca 1876-77)
Wandrers Nachtlied (1876)

Bruckner:
Im April WAB 75
Herbstkummer WAB 72
Mein Herz und deine Stimme WAB 79

Wolf:
Drei Gedichte von Michelangelo (1897)
“Wohl denk’ ich oft”
“Alles endet, was entstehet”
“Fühlt meine Seele”
***
R. Strauss:
Heimliche Aufforderung, Op. 27, Nr. 3
Zueignung, Op. 10, Nr. 1
Allerseelen, Op. 10, Nr. 8
Befreit, Op. 39, Nr. 4

Mahler:
aus: Des Knaben Wunderhorn
Nicht Wiedersehen!
Revelge
Zu Straßburg auf der Schanz
Der Tamboursg’sell
Urlicht

Freedom! Freedom?
with Julius Drake, piano

Schubert:
Prometheus D674 (J. W. v. Goethe)
Grenzen der Menschheit D716 (J. W. v. Goethe)
Ganymed D544 (J. W. v. Goethe)

Schubert:
Memnon D541 (J. Mayrhofer)
Am Strome D539 (J. Mayrhofer)
Auf der Donau D553 (J. Mayrhofer)
Der Sieg D805 (J. Mayrhofer)
Der Schiffer D536 (J. Mayrhofer)

Loewe:
Die Uhr Op. 123, Nr. 3 (Seidl)
Der heilige Franziskus Op. 75, Nr. 3 (v. Wesenberg)
Der gefangene Admiral Op. 115 (v. Strachwitz)
Odins Meeresritt, Op. 118 (Schreiber)

***

R. Strauss:
Heimliche Aufforderung, Op. 27, Nr. 3 (Mackay)
Der Einsame, Op. 51, Nr. 2 (Heine)
Cäcilie, Op. 27, Nr. 2 (Hart)
Befreit, Op. 39, Nr. 4 (Dehmel)
Allerseelen, Op. 10, Nr. 8 (v. Gilm)

Mahler:
aus: Des Knaben Wunderhorn
Revelge
Zu Straßburg auf der Schanz
Der Tamboursg’sell
Urlicht

Brahms - Schumann - Tschaikowski - Rachmaninoff

Brahms: Vier ernste Gesänge, op. 121

Schumann: Liederkreis, op. 39

***

Tschaikowski: Romanzen

op. 6, Nr. 6, op.25, Nr. 1, op. 6, Nr. 4,

op. 38, Nr. 3, op. 38, Nr. 1

Rachmaninoff: Romanzen

op. 4, Nr. 3, op. 4, Nr. 4, op. 26, Nr. 2, op. 8

op. 4, Nr. 1, op. 21, Nr. 6

"Geht's und verkauft's mei G'wand!"
Viennese Songs from Raimund to Heller

C. Lorens: Wiener Spezialitäten. Marsch

„Geht‘s und verkauft‘s mei G‘wand!“
(T: E. Marischka / M: J. Strauss Sohn)

„Hobellied”
(T: F. Raimund / M: C. Kreutzer)

„Annageln kannst es net, die Zeit“
(T: A. Heller / M: T.Stricker)

J.Strauss Sohn: Wiener Blut. Walzer

„Wenn der Hergott net will“
(T: E. Arnold und A. Kaps / M: E. Arnold)

“Mei Muatterl war a Weanerin“
(T/M:: L. Gruber)

Fiakerlied
(T/M: G. Pick)

R. Wagner: Ring-Quadrille
nach G. Fauré/A. Messager: Souvenirs de Bayreuth (1880)
Anonym: Glasscherb’n-Tanz

„Unser Vater is’ a Hausherr“ (Duett)
(T: W. Wiesberg / J. Sioly)

„Was Österreich is‘“ (Duett)
(T: W. Wiesberg / M: J. Schrammel)
***
J. Mikulas: Beim G‘rebelten. Tanz
J. Kaulich: Bei Sang und Klang. Polka schnell

„Herr Doktor, erinnern Sie sich noch…“
(T: H. Haller / M: H.-G. Huebsch)

„In einem kleinen Café in Hernals“
(T: P. Herz / M. H. Leopoldi)

„I hab die schönen Maderln net erfunden“
(T: T. Prosel / M: L. Schmidseder)

J. Schrammel: Dichterworte. Walzer
C. W. Drescher: Kellner zahl‘n! op. 184. Scherzpolka

„Hergott aus Sta’“
(T/M: K. Hodina)

„Ein kleiner Lausbub (A klaner Lausbua)“
(T: K. Schneider / M: O. Schima)

„Der narrische Kastanienbaum“
(T: H. Pflanzer / M: P. Wakovsky)

Song recitals | Programmes - without intermission

05.10.2023
18:00 Uhr

LV / Riga DON CARLO - Latvian National Opera

Günther Groissböck

07.10.2023
15:00 Uhr

LV / Riga DON CARLO - Latvian National Opera

Günther Groissböck

08.10.2023
15:00 Uhr

LV / Riga DON CARLO - Latvian National Opera

Günther Groissböck

03.11.2023
20:00 Uhr

IT / Mailand L'AMORE DEI TRE RE - Teatro alla Scala di Milano

Günther Groissböck

06.11.2023
20:00 Uhr

BE / Brüssel Liederabend - Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie

Günther Groissböck, Malcolm Martineau

07.11.2023
19:30 Uhr

IT / Mailand L'AMORE DEI TRE RE - Teatro alla Scala di Milano

Günther Groissböck

10.11.2023
20:00 Uhr

IT / Mailand L'AMORE DEI TRE RE - Teatro alla Scala di Milano

Günther Groissböck

12.11.2023

IT / Mailand L'AMORE DEI TRE RE - Teatro alla Scala di Milano

Günther Groissböck

15.11.2023

AT / Wien ZAUBERFLÖTE - Wiener Staatsoper

Günther Groissböck, Cornelius Meister

18.11.2023

AT / Wien ZAUBERFLÖTE - Wiener Staatsoper

Günther Groissböck, Cornelius Meister

22.11.2023

AT / Wien ZAUBERFLÖTE - Wiener Staatsoper

Günther Groissböck, Cornelius Meister

24.11.2023

AT / Wien - Wiener Staatsoper

Günther Groissböck, Cornelius Meister

25.11.2023

AT / Wien LA BOHEME - Wiener Staatsoper