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Samuel Ramey Biography (1942-)

Full name, Samuel Edward Ramey; born March 28, 1942, in Colby, KS; son of Robert (a meat cutter and county deputy sheriff) and Grace Irene (a county treasurer and amateur singer; maiden name, Mallory) Ramey; briefly married to a Wichita State University student; married Carrie Tenante, January 10, 1970. Addresses: Contact--c/o New York City Opera, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, 140 West 65th St., New York, NY 10023.

Nationality

American

Gender

Male

Birth Details

March 28, 1942

Colby, Kansas, United States

Famous Works

• Credits; STAGE APPEARANCES; OPERA
• Zuniga, Carmen, New York City Opera, 1973.
• Creon, Medea, New York City Opera, 1974.
• Basilio, The Barber of Seville, New York City Opera, 1974.
• Henry VIII, Anna Bolena, New York City Opera, 1974.
• Collino, La Boheme, New York City Opera, 1974.
• Alvise, La Gioconda, Opera Theatre of New Jersey, 1974.
• The four villains, The Tales of Hoffmann, New York City Opera, 1975.
• Henry VIII, Anna Bolena, Opera Company of Philadelphia, PA, 1975.
• Figaro, The Marriage of Figaro, Glyndebourne Festival, Great Britain, 1976, then New York City Opera, 1977.
• Title role, Don Giovanni, Grand Theatre, Bordeaux, France, 1977.
• Basilio, The Barber of Seville, New York City Opera, 1977.
• Count des Grieux, Manon, New York City Opera, 1977.
• Title role, Mefistofele, New York City Opera, 1977.
• Nick Shadow, The Rake's Progress, Glyndebourne Festival, 1977.
• The four villains, The Tales of Hoffmann, Netherlands Opera, 1978.
• Colline, La Boheme, Paris Opera, France, 1978.
• King Arkel, Pelleas and Melisande, Hamburg State Opera, Germany, 1978.
• Title role and Leporello, Don Giovanni, New York City Opera, 1980.
• Prince Assur, Semiramide, Aix-en-Provence Festival, France, 1981.
• Title role, Figaro, La Scala, Milan, Italy, 1981.
• Raimondo, Lucia di Lammermoor, Hamburg State Opera, 1981.
• Escamillo, Carmen, Vienna State Opera, Austria, 1981.
• Rinaldo, Metropolitan Opera, New York City 1984.
• Title role, Don Quichotte, New York City Opera, 1985.
• I Puritani, Metropolitan Opera, 1986.
• Pagano, I Lombardi, Metropolitan Opera, 1993.
• Also appeared in the Houston Grand Opera, 1975; San Francisco Opera, 1978; Chicago Lyric Opera, 1979.
• Credits; TELEVISION APPEARANCES; SPECIALS
• Basilio, "The Barber of Seville," Live from Lincoln Center, PBS, 1977.
• Count des Grieux, Manon, PBS, 1977.
• Soloist, "Rossini at Versailles," Great Performances, PBS, 1985.
• "The Night of Music: A Global Celebration," Great Performances, PBS, 1986.
• Escamillo, "Carmen," Live from the Met, PBS, 1987.
• A Grand Night: The Performing Arts Salute Public Television, PBS, 1988.
• Title Role, "Don Giovanni," Great Performances, PBS, 1988.
• The Richard Tucker Opera Gala, PBS, 1989.
• Bluebeard, "Bluebeard's Castle" (also known as "Erwartung"), The Metropolitan Opera Presents, PBS, 1989.
• Great Moments from the Met, PBS, 1990.
• "Flicka and Friends: From Rossini to 'Show Boat,'" Live from Lincoln Center, PBS, 1990.
• Mefistofele, "Mefistofele from the San Francisco Opera," Great Performances, PBS, 1990.
• Title role, "Don Giovanni," The Metropolitan Opera Presents, PBS, 1990.
• "The Richard Tucker Gala," Great Performances, PBS, 1991.
• Carnegie Hall: Live at 100! The Gala Celebration, PBS, 1991.
• Prince Assur, "Semiramide," The Metropolitan Opera Presents, PBS, 1991.
• "Metropolitan Opera Silver Anniversary," Great Performances, PBS, 1992.
• Richard Tucker Gala: A Salute to American Music, PBS, 1992.
• Live from the Philadelphia Orchestra with Richard Muti, Arts and Entertainment, 1992.
• Pitkin, 1st Workman, and Announcer, "On the Town in Concert," Great Performances, PBS, 1993.
• Pagano, "I Lombardi," The Metropolitan Opera Presents, PBS, 1994.
• The Richard Tucker Opera Gala: American Voices, PBS, 1994.
• Credits; FILM APPEARANCES
• Voice of Banquo, Macbeth, Dedalus, 1987.
• Credits; ALBUMS
• The Italian Girl in Algiers, RCA/Erato, 1981.
• Has recorded Lucia di Lammermoor, I due Foscari, Tosca, Otello, Ariodante, Amida, and Mass in B Minor, Philips; Rigoletto, Angel; and for Deutsche Grammophon, London, and CBS Records.

Further Reference

PERIODICALS

• Newsweek, March 17, 1980.
• New York Times, December 12, 1993, Sec. 9, pp. 14-15.
• New York Times Biographical Service, November, 1986, pp. 1384-86; September, 1987, pp. 1305-06.
• Opera News, May, 1978.