Barbara Cramm (Soprano)

Born: Stolzenau, Northern Germany

The German soprano, Barbara Cramm, had her first musical instruction at the age of seven. After finishing high school she first studied musicology at the University of Bonn, changing to the Musikhochschule in Detmold, where she began by studying school music and voice with Professor Artur Janzen and Gabriella Lichter-Maxande, receiving the Artist's Diploma in 1990. In 1995 she passed the artistic maturity examination as a singer. During her studies she received 2^nd Prize in the DTKV Competition in Nordrhein-Westfalen (1994), as well as scholarships from the Richard-Wagner-Verband and the Bertelsmann Foundation in Gütersloh.

In 1996 Barbara Cramm made her debut in the Theater of Lucerne in the role of Arminda in Mozart's Die Gartnerin aus Liebe. Engagements followed as a lyrical soprano in the City Theater of Regensburg (1996-1997 season) and the Consolidated Theaters of Krefeld and Mönchengladbach (from the 1997-1998 season onwards). Besides her stage appearences she keeps up an active slate of engagements in recital and concert.

Guest appearances led Barbara Cramm, among other places, to the Staatstheater in Oldenburg and to the Kölner Oper, where she sang the role of Pamina in the 2000-2001 season with big success. In addition she made several guest appearances at the Staatsoper Stuttgart as Ludmilla in Die verkaufte Braut. Since the 2004-2005 she is engaged at the Staatstheater Kassel, where her first role is Gretel in the fairy-tale opera Hänsel und Gretel. Additional roles are Marie in Die verkaufte Braut and Fuchs in Das schlaue Füchslein.

Source: Staatstheater Kassel Website, English translation by Aryeh Oron (April 2005); Liner notes to the 2-CD album 'J.S. Bach - Johannes H. E. Koch: Markus-Passion BWV 247' conducted by Mathias Michaely (Prospect, 1998)
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (April 2005, May 2005)

Recordings of Bach Cantatas & Other Vocal Works

Conductor

As

Works

Mathias Michaely

Soprano

BWV 247

Links to other Sites

Barbara Cramm - Sopran (Staatstheter Kassel) [German]

Barbara Cramm - sopraan (Opera Weetjes) [Dutch]