Tenor
Tomasz Kuk
Tenor
Tomasz Kuk
He was born in Gorlice on 24 April 1969. To study vocal arts, he abandoned the Faculty of Civil Engineering of Krakow University of Technology. He graduated with distinction from the Faculty of Voice and Drama in Krakow in the class of Professor Wojciech Jan Śmietana. In 2014, the artist received the Bronze Medal “Person of Merit in Culture - Gloria Artis”.
Already as a vocal arts student, Tomasz Kuk performed as a guest at the Krakow Opera. The artist has a rare kind of voice, classified as a dramatic/spinto tenor, which predestines him to perform the most difficult opera roles from the repertoire of Giuseppe Verdi, Giacomo Puccini or Richard Wagner.
He developed his vocal skills during training courses conducted by Professor Helena Łazarska, Professor Ryszard Karczykowski and Maestra Montserrat Caballe.
Tomasz Kuk is a laureate of domestic and foreign singing contests:
- the 1st prize at the Vocal Contest in Wrocław (1994),
- the 2nd prize based on the regulations and a special prize during the Vocal Contest in Duszniki Zdrój (1996),
- the 3rd prize based on the regulations and a special prize for the aria of Jontek from the “Halka” opera by Stanisław Moniuszko during the 7th Ada Sari International Contest of Vocal Arts in Nowy Sącz (1997). According to critics, he is still recognised for the best interpretation of this role.
- laureate of the V. Bellini International Vocal Competition in Caltanissetta (1999)
- 1st prize during the S. Moniuszko 4th International Vocal Competition in Warsaw (2001).
The artist has also won several best tenor contests. In 2001, he received the first prize of the “Tenors Tournament” at the Pomeranian Princes’ castle in Szczecin, and in 2013, he won the “Rose Fight of Tenors” during the Jan Kiepura Festival in Krynica-Zdrój. He was also the winner of the 5th anniversary edition of the "Rose Fight of Tenors” and received the platinum flower in a television plebiscite.
Tomasz Kuk is often invited to participate in prestigious concerts and philharmonic events. He has appeared during many outstanding oratorio and stage concerts, including performance of “Stabat Mater” by Antonín Dvořak directed by Helmuth Rilling, “Mass No. 6 in E-flat major” by Franz Schubert directed by Wojciech Michniewski, “Requiem” by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, “Requiem” by Giuseppe Verdi directed by Tadeusz Wojciechowski, “Symphony no. 9” by Ludwig van Beethoven, “Petite messe solennelle” by Gioacchino Rossini, “Die schöne Müllerin” song cycle by Franz Schubert, “Dichterliebe” by Robert Schuman and “Das Lied von der Erde” by Gustav Mahler.
The tenor is permanently engaged by the Krakow Opera. He also cooperates with the Grand Theatre in Łódź, the Grand Theatre in Poznań, the Nova Opera in Bydgoszcz, the Baltic Opera in Gdańsk, the Castle Opera in Szczecin, as well as the National Opera of the Grand Theatre in Warsaw. He often appears as a guest at foreign opera stages, including in Japan, England, Germany, Switzerland, Austria and the Czech Republic.
Tomasz Kuk has made some CD recordings, which are of significance on the Polish market of music, including the tenor part in the work “Wierchy” by Artur Malawski (2019), the role of Korach in the first global recording of the “Moses” sacral opera by Anton Rubinstein (2017), the part of the Old King in the “Hagith” opera by Karol Szymanowski (2014) and the part of Idamor in “Paria” by Stanisław Moniuszko (2009).
The artist has performed several dozen opera roles. He has appeared many times as: Ismaele (Giuseppe Verdi – “Nabucco”), Alfredo (Giuseppe Verdi – “La Traviata”), Macduff (Giuseppe Verdi – “Macbeth”), Carlo (Giuseppe Verdi – “Joan of Arc”), Duca (Giuseppe Verdi – “Rigoletto”), Radames (Giuseppe Verdi – “Aida”), Manrico (Giuseppe Verdi – “The Troubadour”), Don Jose (Georges Bizet – “Carmen”), Arthur (Gaetano Donizetti – “Lucia di Lammermoor”), Tebaldo (Vincenzo Bellini – “Capuletti and Montecchi”), Turiddu (Pietro Mascagni – “Cavalleria rusticana”), Jontek (Stanisław Moniuszko – “Halka”), Stefan (Stanisław Moniuszko – “The Haunted Manor”, Idamor (Stanisław Moniuszko – “Paria”), Princ (Antonín Dvořák – “Rusałka”), Lenski (Pyotr Tchaikovsky – “Eugene Onegin”), Cavaradossi (Giacomo Puccini – “Tosca”), Pincerton (Giacomo Puccini – “Madame Butterfly”), Rudolph (Giacomo Puccini – “La Boheme”), Calaf (Giacomo Puccini – “Turandot”), Canio (Ruggero Leoncavallo – “Pagliacci)”, The Old King (Karol Szymanowski – “Hagith”), Bacchus (Richard Strauss – “Ariadne on Naxos”), Hoffmann (Jacques Offenbach – “The Tales of Hoffmann”), the title role in Tannhäuser by Richard Wagner, as well as the title role in “Othello” by Giuseppe Verdi. The artist will soon have his début in the role of Florestan in Ludwig van Beethoven's “Fidello”.
Already as a vocal arts student, Tomasz Kuk performed as a guest at the Krakow Opera. The artist has a rare kind of voice, classified as a dramatic/spinto tenor, which predestines him to perform the most difficult opera roles from the repertoire of Giuseppe Verdi, Giacomo Puccini or Richard Wagner.
He developed his vocal skills during training courses conducted by Professor Helena Łazarska, Professor Ryszard Karczykowski and Maestra Montserrat Caballe.
Tomasz Kuk is a laureate of domestic and foreign singing contests:
- the 1st prize at the Vocal Contest in Wrocław (1994),
- the 2nd prize based on the regulations and a special prize during the Vocal Contest in Duszniki Zdrój (1996),
- the 3rd prize based on the regulations and a special prize for the aria of Jontek from the “Halka” opera by Stanisław Moniuszko during the 7th Ada Sari International Contest of Vocal Arts in Nowy Sącz (1997). According to critics, he is still recognised for the best interpretation of this role.
- laureate of the V. Bellini International Vocal Competition in Caltanissetta (1999)
- 1st prize during the S. Moniuszko 4th International Vocal Competition in Warsaw (2001).
The artist has also won several best tenor contests. In 2001, he received the first prize of the “Tenors Tournament” at the Pomeranian Princes’ castle in Szczecin, and in 2013, he won the “Rose Fight of Tenors” during the Jan Kiepura Festival in Krynica-Zdrój. He was also the winner of the 5th anniversary edition of the "Rose Fight of Tenors” and received the platinum flower in a television plebiscite.
Tomasz Kuk is often invited to participate in prestigious concerts and philharmonic events. He has appeared during many outstanding oratorio and stage concerts, including performance of “Stabat Mater” by Antonín Dvořak directed by Helmuth Rilling, “Mass No. 6 in E-flat major” by Franz Schubert directed by Wojciech Michniewski, “Requiem” by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, “Requiem” by Giuseppe Verdi directed by Tadeusz Wojciechowski, “Symphony no. 9” by Ludwig van Beethoven, “Petite messe solennelle” by Gioacchino Rossini, “Die schöne Müllerin” song cycle by Franz Schubert, “Dichterliebe” by Robert Schuman and “Das Lied von der Erde” by Gustav Mahler.
The tenor is permanently engaged by the Krakow Opera. He also cooperates with the Grand Theatre in Łódź, the Grand Theatre in Poznań, the Nova Opera in Bydgoszcz, the Baltic Opera in Gdańsk, the Castle Opera in Szczecin, as well as the National Opera of the Grand Theatre in Warsaw. He often appears as a guest at foreign opera stages, including in Japan, England, Germany, Switzerland, Austria and the Czech Republic.
Tomasz Kuk has made some CD recordings, which are of significance on the Polish market of music, including the tenor part in the work “Wierchy” by Artur Malawski (2019), the role of Korach in the first global recording of the “Moses” sacral opera by Anton Rubinstein (2017), the part of the Old King in the “Hagith” opera by Karol Szymanowski (2014) and the part of Idamor in “Paria” by Stanisław Moniuszko (2009).
The artist has performed several dozen opera roles. He has appeared many times as: Ismaele (Giuseppe Verdi – “Nabucco”), Alfredo (Giuseppe Verdi – “La Traviata”), Macduff (Giuseppe Verdi – “Macbeth”), Carlo (Giuseppe Verdi – “Joan of Arc”), Duca (Giuseppe Verdi – “Rigoletto”), Radames (Giuseppe Verdi – “Aida”), Manrico (Giuseppe Verdi – “The Troubadour”), Don Jose (Georges Bizet – “Carmen”), Arthur (Gaetano Donizetti – “Lucia di Lammermoor”), Tebaldo (Vincenzo Bellini – “Capuletti and Montecchi”), Turiddu (Pietro Mascagni – “Cavalleria rusticana”), Jontek (Stanisław Moniuszko – “Halka”), Stefan (Stanisław Moniuszko – “The Haunted Manor”, Idamor (Stanisław Moniuszko – “Paria”), Princ (Antonín Dvořák – “Rusałka”), Lenski (Pyotr Tchaikovsky – “Eugene Onegin”), Cavaradossi (Giacomo Puccini – “Tosca”), Pincerton (Giacomo Puccini – “Madame Butterfly”), Rudolph (Giacomo Puccini – “La Boheme”), Calaf (Giacomo Puccini – “Turandot”), Canio (Ruggero Leoncavallo – “Pagliacci)”, The Old King (Karol Szymanowski – “Hagith”), Bacchus (Richard Strauss – “Ariadne on Naxos”), Hoffmann (Jacques Offenbach – “The Tales of Hoffmann”), the title role in Tannhäuser by Richard Wagner, as well as the title role in “Othello” by Giuseppe Verdi. The artist will soon have his début in the role of Florestan in Ludwig van Beethoven's “Fidello”.