prof. dr hab. Andrzej Biegun
Baritone. In 1978, he obtained a diploma from a Primary Music School in double bass. In 1978-84, he studied at the Vocal and Acting Faculty of the Academy of Music in Krakow under the tutelage of Prof. Zofia Stachurska and Prof. Adam Szybowski, obtaining a programme completion diploma and earning a degree of the Master of Arts. In 1976, he began to work at the Opera House and Operetta Theatre in Krakow as a double bassist. In 1981, he debuted as Marcello in “La Boheme” by G. Puccini at the Opera House and Operetta Theatre in Krakow and has been a soloist there since then. In 1995, he started to work at the Vocal and Acting Department of the Academy of Music in Krakow as an assistant lecturer at the Vocal Department. His ever increasing repertoire includes the most important baritone parts in the world’s opera literature from the baroque to the contemporary ones in such operas as: Xerxes, Julius Caesar by J.F. Haendel, The Magic Flute, Don Giovanni by W.A. Mozart, Tosca by G. Puccini, The Barber of Seville, Cinderella by G. Rossini, Montecchi and Capuleti by V. Bellini, Lucia di Lammermoor, Don Pasąuale by G. Donizetti, Rigoletto, Nabucco, Un ballo in maschera, La traviata and Macbeth by G. Verdi, Faust by Ch. Gounod, The Haunted Manor, Halka by S. Moniuszko, Carmen by G. Bizet, La Boheme, Tosca by G. Puccini, King Roger by K. Szymanowski and Ubu Rex and The Black Mask by K. Penderecki. He has also had parts in operettas and musicals, performing, among others, in: The Gypsy Baron by J. Strauss, Paganini by F. Lehar, Victoria and Her Hussar by P. Abraham, The Vagabond King by R. Friml, My Fair Lady by F. Loewe. He collaborates with the National Theatre in Warsaw, singing the part of Janusz in Halka by S. Moniuszko, and also makes guest appearances in other opera houses in Poland, e.g. in Bytom, Lodz and Poznan. He has also performed in a number of European countries (Germany, the Netherlands, France, Italy, Belgium, Denmark and Switzerland). He has taken part in the “Afertorum” Festival in Ferrara and the Polish Music Festival in Assen, and has toured the United States and Canada with Halka by S. Moniuszko. He has made a number of radio and TV recordings and released records, among others with an outstanding American singer Gwendolyn Bradley and with Krakow Philharmonic under Roland Bader. He has recorded opera arias with the Polish Radio National Orchestra in Katowice under Ruben Silva. He sings not only in opera houses but also in philharmonic halls with the oratorio and concert repertoire.