Recordings/Discussions
Background Information
Performer Bios

Poet/Composer Bios

Additional Information

Biographies of Performers: Main Page | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z
Explanation | Acronyms | Missing Biographies | The Sad Corner


Kornélia Bakos (Mezzo-soprano)

Born: Hungary

The Hungarian mezzo-soprano, Kornélia Bakos, studied piano at 1981-1990: Music schools in Eger and Gyöngyös (1981-1990); piano and singing at Béla Bartók Secondary School for Music in Miskolc (1990-1995); and singing at the Ferenc Liszt Academy of Music, Teacher Training Institute in Budapest (1995-1999). She won competitions, attended courses, and won scholarships, including: Hungarian Song Prize; Budapest (1997), Szilvia Geszty Coloratura Competition - special prize; Murcía (Spain, 2002), Majk International Opera Course (1999 and 2002), Julia Hamari Master Class; Hungarian State Opera House (2003), Bük Early Music Course and a historically faithful production of G.F. Handel's Xerxes - Bélapátfalva (2003), Bayreuth Scholarship of the Wagner Society (2006), 1st International Händel Competition - 1st Prize and special prize; Eger (2007), Scholarship from the Hungarian State Opera's Foundation for Young Talent (from April 2007).

Kornélia Bakos first sang on stage in the title role of George Frideric Handel's Giulio Cesare as a guest of the Opera Studio of the Hungarian State Opera House in the summer of 2003. She was a member of the Studio from September 2003 to June 2006 and received thorough tuition from Géza Oberfrank on the theatre, the stage and operatic roles, while music director Emil Petrovics offered her a number of stage appearances. In 2004 on her debut night at the theatre she sang 3rd Lady in W.A. Mozart's The Magic Flute, a role she has since kept at the Opera House. She also created the role of Inez in Verdi's Il trovatore, the High Priestess in Aida, the Neighbour in Igor Stravinsky's one-act opera Mavra, Sylvia in Levente Gyöngyösi's A gólyakalifa (The stork caliph) and Tisbe in Rossini's La Cenerentola.

Kornélia Bakos has a regular working relationship with: the Budapest Chamber Opera (artistic director: Domonkos Moldován; productions: G.F. Handel’s Semele, Monteverdi’s L'incoronazione di Poppea, which has also been released on DVD); the Savaria Baroque Orchestra (Capella Savaria) (artistic director: Pál Németh; productions: Antonio Vivaldi’s Juditha Triumphans, Salve Regina, Stabat Mater); Soma Dinyés and the Ars Longa Chamber Ensemble ((J.S. Bach’s Christmas Oratorio (BWV 248),G.F. Handel cantatas, duets etc.; Salamon Kamp and the Hungarian Virtuosi Orchestra (J.S. Bach’s Christmas Oratorio (BWV 248)).

Kornélia Bakos often sings solo for organist and conductor András Virágh, (Liszt Prize) (J.S. Bach, G.F. Handel, W.A. Mozart, Haydn, Franz Liszt), with whom she sang the Hungarian premiere of F. Liszt's Esztergom Mass arranged for organ accompaniment in August 2008.

While at the Opera Studio, Kornélia Bakos had the privilege of working with renowned conductors such as Ervin Lukács, János Kovács, Ádám Medveczky and Ferenc Nagy. Since 2006, she has regularly appeared in the role of Grimgerde in Die Walküre conducted by Ádám Fischer in the Wagner Days organized by the Budapest Palace of Arts and conductor Ádám Fischer.

Thanks to a number of inspiring instructors both in Hungary and abroad, her experience in the magical world of Baroque music is gaining in breadth and depth alike.

Since she won 1st Prize in the International Händel Competition in May 2007, Kornélia Bakos has become a soloist of the Italian I Virtuosi delle Muse Baroque ensemble (conductor: Stefano Molardi) and regularly gives concerts with them all over Italy and other European countries. As one of the finalists in the closed competition Rome Musica Sacra in November 2008 she gained admittance to the I Virtuosi della Musica Sacra music ensemble, led by Daniela de Marco. By the same token, she was invited in December to Piacenza where she had the chance to work with Riccardo Muti. In November 2009, in Ravenna she was the only foreigner performer in A. Vivaldi’s Tito Manlio conducted by Stefano Montanari.

In 2007, Kornélia Bakos teamed up with István Kerek, an old friend and excellent violinist, to create a chamber group called Perle della Musica, hoping to share with the Hungarian audience all the experience and knowledge she had gained during her stay in Italy. They are dedicated followers of the 'Venetian style', characterized by a broad range of dynamics and tempi and bold musical ideas, all in an effort to enhance the excitement inherent in the pearls of Baroque music.

Kornélia Bakos likes making excursions in the world of Renaissance music, too, where her repertoire is dominated by secular pieces. The duo Aria Rinascimentale, in which Árpád Reményi accompanies her on the lute, has given concerts of both famous and less well-known composers of that age all over Hungary.


Source: Cathedral Organ Concerts at the St. Stefens Basilica Budapest Website
Contributed by
Aryeh Oron (May 2012)

Recordings of Bach Cantatas & Other Vocal Works

Conductor

As

Works

Salamon Kamp

Alto

BWV 4 [2nd], BWV 34 [2015], BWV 62 [3rd, Video], BWV 70 [3rd, Video], BWV 114 [1st, Video, 2012], BWV 114 [2nd, 2012], BWV 115 [Video, 2012], BWV 156 [2014]
BWV 244 [2nd], BWV 244 [3rd], BWV 248/1-3 [3rd, TV]

Imre Lachegyi

Alto

Video (2015): BWV 33, BWV 182

István Zimániyi

Alto

C-1 (2012, Video): BWV 21
C-2 (2014, Video);
BWV 6 [1st recording]
C-3 (2016, Video):
BWV 6 [2nd recording]
V-2 (2014, Video):
BWV 243
V-3 (2013, Video):
BWV 245 [1st recording]
V-4 (2013, Video):
BWV 245 [2nd recording]

Links to other Sites

Koenélia Bakos - mezzosopran (Cathedral Organ Concerts) [English/Hungarian]
Kornélia Bakos - Mezzo-soprano (Opera Portal: Hungarian Opera Singers) [English/Hungarian]


Biographies of Performers: Main Page | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z
Explanation | Acronyms | Missing Biographies | The Sad Corner




 

Back to the Top


Last update: Friday, March 15, 2019 16:13