Simándy, József
Simándy, József
Simándy, József, noted Hungarian tenor; b. Budapest, Sept. 18, 1916; d. there, March 4, 1997. Following studies with Emilia Posszert (1943–45), he completed his training at the Budapest Academy of Music. After singing in the Budapest Opera chorus (1940–45), he was a member of the Szeged Opera (1945–17). In 1947 he joined the Budapest Opera, where he distinguished himself in lyric, heroic, and spinto roles. He also sang at the Bavarian State Opera in Munich from 1956 to 1960. His guest engagements took him to many of the major European music centers. From 1978 he was a prof. at the Budapest Academy of Music. In 1953 he received the Kossuth Prize, and in 1962 he was made a Meritorious Artist and in 1964 an Outstanding Artist by the Hungarian government. Among his outstanding portrayals were Florestan, Lohengrin, Don Carlos, Otello, Walther von Stolzing, Don José, Cavaradossi, Des Grieux, and Turiddu. He also was renowned for his roles in operas by Ferenc Erkel.
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire