Philip Kraus (born November 17, 1950) is an American operatic baritone and stage director known for his performances with the Lyric Opera of Chicago, starting in 1991, and for his co-founding of Light Opera Works, a professional light opera company in Chicago, in 1980.
Early training Kraus was born in New York City where he received early musical training. As a child, he developed a keen interest in the works of Gilbert and Sullivan. In addition to singing, he also composed music and conducted choirs.
Kraus studied music education at Northwestern University and eventually earned a Doctor of Music in Applied Voice from that institution in 1986."Guest Artists", Chicago City Wide Symphony Orchestra, accessed May 15, 2020 He studied voice with tenor Walter Carringer, choral music with Margaret Hillis, and opera with Robert Gay, a disciple of Boris Goldovsky. He participated in the 1974 American premiere of Sir Michael Tippett's The Knot Garden at Northwestern, singing the role of Mangus.Review of The Knot Garden by Alan Swanson in Opera News, April 13, 1974 p. 23
Operatic and concert career In 1979, Kraus made his professional debut singing the role of the Vicar in Benjamin Britten's Albert Herring with the Chicago Opera Theater."'Albert Herring' warm, tuneful and humorous", by Valerie Scher; review of Albert Herring in the Chicago Sun Times, April 13, 1979 He later played the title role in Gianni Schicchi with the company.Undated review of Gianni Schicchi from the Memphis Flyer interactive website (Issue 582) With the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, in 1979, he sang in Handel's Dettingen Te Deum and the Chicago premiere of American composer Russell Woollen's In Martyrium Memoriam.Chicago Symphony Orchestra Program Booklet, 88th Season, 15th Subscription Week, Jan. 25-27, 1979 Also in 1979, he recorded the role of Zweiter Gefangene in Beethoven's Fidelio with the CSO, conducted by Sir Georg Solti.
Kraus began a long association as soloist with the Grant Park Concerts in Chicago in 1979, performing Haydn's Mass in Time of War under conductor Thomas Peck."Grant Park Chorus lifts voices in Edwardian fest", by John Von Rhein; review of Haydn Mass in the Chicago Tribune, Aug. 18, 1979 He followed this singing Elgar's The Kingdom, under Leonard Slatkin, in 1981."Levine puts passion in CSO's 'Onegin'", by John Von Rhein; review in the Chicago Tribune, July 1981 (includes a review of the Grant Park performance of The Kingdom) Kraus went on to sing with other American orchestras, including the Cleveland Orchestra,Rosenberg, Donald. "H.M.S. Pinafore given smooth sailing", The Plain Dealer, Aug. 3, 1993 Dallas Symphony, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, and many others, working with conductors Erich Leinsdorf, Eduardo Mata, Zdeněk Mácal, Andrew Davis,"Singers, staging enhance Lyric's 'Figaro'", by Joseph Cunniff; review in the Hyde Park Herald, Oct. 23, 1991 James Conlon,Rich, Alan. "La Traviata", Variety, September 10, 2006, accessed May 15, 2020 David Zinman,"Opera Alfresco", by Ted Shen; review of La Traviata in The Reader Aug. 14, 1982 Claudio Abbado, James Levine,"Kinetic force, opera stars make oratorio entertaining at Ravinia", by John Von Rhein: review in the Chicago Tribune, July 10, 1978 Lukas Foss,"Foss, MSO deliver spirit of Requiem", by Tom Strini; review in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Jan.20, 1996 Mark Elder, Anton Coppola,"Coppola keeps Verdi straight, but the artistry does sink in", by Clarke Bustard'; review in the Richmond Times-Dispatch, March 17, 1997 p. E5 Gisele Ben-Dor,"'Verdi Requiem' given powerful performances by SB Symphony", by Kenneth E. Bartlett; review in the Valley Voice, May 24, 1995 and Marin Alsop."CSO Chorus sines as it pays homage to Mozart", by Marc Shulgold; review in the Rocky Mountain News, March 16, 1996 He has been a soloist at the Handel Week Festival in Oak Park, Illinois several times, at Mahlerfest in Boulder, Colorado (2001), and sang Felix Mendelssohn's Elijah in 1996 with New Oratorio Singers.
In 1986, with Chamber Opera Chicago, Kraus played the title role in Falstaff.Von Rhein, John. "Falstaff Opens Chamber Opera Year", Chicago Tribune, March 13, 1966, accessed May 15, 2020 He joined the roster of the Lyric Opera of Chicago for the 1990 season, and his roles with the company include Jose Castro in La fanciulla del West (1991), Antonio in The Marriage of Figaro (1992), Micah in The Bartered Bride (1993), Alcindoro in La bohème (1993), the Sacristan in Tosca (1994), Elder MacLean in Susannah (1994),Skrebneski, Victor. Bravi: Lyric Opera of Chicago Abbeville Publishing Group, New York (1994) . Gives dates of performances by Kraus from 1991 to 1994. various supporting roles in Candide (1994),review of Candide in Opera News Amantio di Nicolao in Gianni Schicchi (1996), Southern Senator in Amistad (1997; world premiere, by composer Anthony Davis), Helmsman in Tristan und Isolde (1999),Information from Lyric Opera website re: 1990-99 seasons Meyer Wolfshiem in The Great Gatsby (2000), the Mayor in Jenůfa (2000),Holland, Bernard. "Opera Review; Words and Music, Not as Partners but as One", The New York Times, November 21, 2000, p. E5, accessed May 15, 2010 Abe Kaplan in Street Scene (2001), Ratcliffe in Billy Budd (2001–2002),Tommasini, Anthony. "Lyric Opera Review; Innocence, Desire and Evil Amid the Sails and Salty Air", The New York Times, November 20, 2001, accessed May 15, 2020 Baron Douphol in La Traviata (2003), Benoit/Antonio in The Marriage of Figaro (2003), and Harashta in The Cunning Little Vixen (2004). In the company's 2007-08 season, he played Baron Douphol in La Traviata. In 2010, he played Pish-Tush in The Mikado.Johnson, Lawrence A. "A largely enjoyable Mikado this, at Lyric Opera". Chicago Classical Review, December 7, 2010 The Wall Street Journal said that he brought "appropriate snark" to the role.Waleson, Heidi. "Taking Gilbert & Sullivan Seriously". The Wall Street Journal, January 12, 2011 The next year, he was again in La fanciulla del West, this time as Sid."Puccini's The Girl of the Golden West", WQXR, July 2, 2011, accessed May 15, 2020 He has played Bartolo in The Barber of Seville more than once for the company."Osborn Replaces Flórez in Lyric's Barber of Seville", BroadwayWorld.com, February 14, 2008, accessed May 15, 2020; and "Lyric Opera of Chicago Presents The Family Barber Today", BroadwayWorld.com, March 22, 2014, accessed May 15, 2020 In 2012, he played Le Bailli in Werther.Ketterson, Mark Thomas. "Werther" , Opera News, November 11, 2012, accessed May 15, 2020 One of his later roles for the company was the Notary in Der Rosenkavalier in 2016.Hunt, Aaron. "Threads of Silver and Gold", Chicago Theatre & Concert Reviews, February 14, 2016, accessed May 15, 2020
In 1994 Kraus sang the Vicar in Albert Herring with Cleveland Opera,Rosenberg, Donald. "Britten's "Albert Herring' is the operatic catch of the day", The Plain Dealer, April 10, 1994 and in 1995, he sang the title role in Verdi's Rigoletto with Minnesota Opera. He sang the Sacristan in Tosca with Cleveland Opera in 2002. He later joined the roster of the Los Angeles Opera in 2006 singing Baron Duphol in La Traviata in a cast that included Renée Fleming. The production was broadcast by radio station WFMT in Los Angeles.WFMT's website With Los Angeles, he performed in The Bartered Bride.Von Rhein, John. "Bartered Bride lacks the elements", Chicago Tribune, October 12, 1992, p. 14 In 2007, Kraus portrayed the composer Antonio Salieri in a concert production of Rimsky-Korsakov's Mozart and Salieri.Announcement of the concert
Light Opera Works Kraus, after having been involved with the Northwestern University Gilbert and Sullivan Guild as director, co-founded Light Opera Works in 1980,Article noting milestones in Chicago theatre one of only a few professional companies devoted to the operetta genre in the United States. He served as Artistic Director for 19 seasons directing 38 mainstage productions. Under his artistic direction the company produced Chicago premieres and revivals of Orpheus in the Underworld (1881), The Beautiful Galatea (1982), Naughty Marietta (1983), Utopia, Limited (1984), The Gypsy Baron (1985), The Grand Duke (1992), The Grand Duchess of Gerolstein (1986),Article on Grand Duchess (not free) Die Fledermaus (1986, 1995),Assistant director's resume mentions that Kraus directed this production The Chocolate Soldier (1987), Wiener Blut (1989), Babes in Toyland (1993), La Vie parisienne (1984), The Golden Apple (1995), The Czardas Princess (1990) and Emmerich Kalman's little-known The Duchess of Chicago (1998).Fishman, Elly. "A Chicago sausage heiress in Yekaterinburg, Russia?", Chicago Reader, March 27, 2012, accessed May 15, 2020; and Article on The Duchess of Chicago (not free) While Kraus was artistic director, the company also produced stage works of Kurt Weill, including Lady in the Dark (1989), Knickerbocker Holiday (1992), One Touch of Venus (1997) and all of the extant full-length Gilbert and Sullivan comic operas during his tenure with company."Past productions at Light Opera Works/Music Theater Works, accessed May 15, 2020
Director, translator and educator Kraus served as resident stage director for the Pamiro Opera in Green Bay, Wisconsin from 1988 to 1996, directing productions of L'Italiana in Algeri (1988),"Pamiro delights full house", review of L'Italiana in Algeri by Terence O'Grady in the Green Bay Press-Gazette, September 24, 1988 The Merry Widow (1989),"Merry Widow" is a Pamiro Pleaser", review of The Merry Widow by Terence O'Grady in the Green Bay Press-Gazette September 18, 1989 The Daughter of the Regiment (1990),"'Daughter" delights eye and ear", review by Michael Bent in the Appleton Post-Crescent September 1990Die Fledermaus (1991),"Solid performances let audience soar with 'The Bat'", review by Terence O'Grady in the Green Bay Press-Gazette, September 16, 1991 The Magic Flute (1992),"'The Magic Flute' performs magic throughout opera", review by Terence O'Grady in the Green Bay Press-Gazette, September 1992 La Traviata (1993),"Pamiro brings arias to the area", review of La Traviata by Michael Bent in the Appleton Post-Crescent, September 14, 1993 p. D-5 Madama Butterfly (1994),"Pamiro Opera Growing in Stature", review of Madama Butterfly by Erik Eriksson in the Door County Advocate, September 15, 1994 Section 1 p. 14 Rigoletto (1995),"Pamiro, baritone soar in updated 'Rigoletto'", review by Terence O'Grady in the Green Bay Press-Gazette, Oct. 1, 1995 p. B-5 and the world premiere of Gordon Parmentier's The Lost Dauphin (2000), which was videotaped by Wisconsin Public Television for broadcast."'Lost Dauphin' an extraordinary find", review by Erik Eriksson in the Green Bay News-Chronicle May 26, 2000, Variety Section p. 26 (note: this review mentions that the opera was recorded for both public radio and public television.)
For the Chicago Cultural Center, he directed Poulenc's The Breasts of Tiresias in 2000 and Mozart's The Impresario in 2001 for which he prepared the English translation. At the Lyric Opera Cleveland, he directed Patience, by Gilbert and Sullivan, in 2002, and The Mikado in 2004, in his 1986 Elizabethan concept.Review of this concept production of The Mikado In 2017, he directed La Périchole for Tacoma Opera."Philip Kraus, Baritone, Director", Opera Base, accessed May 15, 2020
Kraus has prepared several English singing translations of operas and operettas in collaboration with lyricist Gregory Opelka. These include Oscar Straus' The Chocolate SoldierReview of North Star Opera's The Chocolate Soldier with Kraus' libretto and A Waltz Dream A Waltz Dream reviewed by Kathleen Tobin in The Beverly Review, July 15, 1992 and Kalman's The Duchess of Chicago.Information about a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania production of Duchess in 2007 Other translations include La Serva Padrona, Orpheus in the Underworld, Gianni Schicchi, Suor Angelica, The Coronation of Poppea and The Land of Smiles.