“The 41 year old bass sang the songs with a sonorous, masculine voice, and with a vigor which opposed the texts with vital resistance. Completely different the Russian romances. Noticeably and visibly moved, Groissböck wholeheartedly surrendered to the pain, at times almost screaming it out, and hereby achieved something like catharsis for a wounded soul.” Klaus Kalchschmid, Süddeutsche Zeitung, 15.07.2018
Günther Groissböck enchants on the opera and concert stages around the world – with the unique noble sound of his voice and virtually breathtaking verve of performance, he awakens his characters, and makes each song cycle authentically come alive.
As one of the most sought Basses worldwide, celebrated by audience and media alike, Günther Groissböck guests at the leading opera houses of the world with all major parts from Händel to Verdi, Wagner and Strauss. He has a particular close connection to the Bavarian State Opera and the Metropolitan Opera in New York where he can be heard regularly since his debut in 2010. Further engagements lead him to companies including the Vienna State Opera, the Opera de Paris, La Scala in Milan, the Deutsche Oper and the Staatsoper Unter den Linden in Berlin where he recently created a furore as Ochs in “Der Rosenkavalier” in February 2020 in the new production by André Heller and Zubin Mehta. In 2002 he made his debut at the Salzburg Festival, where – in 2014 – he celebrated his much acclaimed role debut as Ochs in “Der Rosenkavalier” directed by Harry Kupfer. In 2011 he debuted at La Scala in Milan, as well as at the Bayreuth Festival where he has been a regular guest ever since, singing roles including Pogner in the renowned “Meistersinger” production by Barrie Kosky and Philippe Jordan. In 2022 he will be Wotan and Wanderer in the new Bayreuth “Ring”, originally planned for 2020.
His particular enthusiasm for art song reveals itself in his programs – created with love for detail and thorough knowledge of repertoire. Together with Gerold Huber he recorded the double album “Winterreise”/ ”Schwanengesang” as well as “Herz-Tod” with works by Brahms, Wagner, Wolf and Mahler, released by DECCA Classic. Günther Groissböck feels at home in the symphonic repertoire as well – from Haydn’s “Creation” to Shostakovitch’s Symphony No. 13 “Babi Jar” – he invariably impresses through musical expression, stylistic command, and a particularly clear articulation. Concerts bring him to halls including the Amsterdam Concertgebouw, to the philharmonic halls in Munich and Berlin, the Musikverein and Carnegie Hall. A close collaboration connects him with conductors like Daniel Barenboim, Philippe Jordan, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Zubin Mehta, Andris Nelsons, Antonio Pappano, Kirill Petrenko, Sir Simon Rattle and Christian Thielemann.
With his debut as a stage director in 2021 at the Theater an der Wien with “Tristan Experiment”, Günther Groissböck takes on a new exciting challenge; further plans include his role debut as Philipp II. (“Don Carlo“) at the Metropolitan Opera, Ochs (“Rosenkavalier”) as well as his role debut as Wotan (“Walküre”) at the Vienna State Opera, La Roche (“Capriccio”) at the Paris Opera, Ochs (“Rosenkavalier”) at the Staatsoper Unter den Linden Berlin, as well as Vodník (“Rusalka“), and Gurnemanz (“Parsifal“) at the Bavarian State Opera.
