Biography
Hrolfur Saemundsson initially studied singing at the Reykjavik Vocal Academy before completing his MA in Music at the New England Conservatory in Boston, 2002.
His upcoming roles include Alberich in Rheingold and Siegfried, Tomski in The Queen of Spades and Don Carlo in Ernani.
He has performed extensively in operas and on the concert platform in Germany, France, Norway, Sweden, Luxemburg, the UK, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands and the US, as well as in his native country Iceland. Since 2009, he has worked mostly in Germany. His most important roles are Macbeth, Don Carlo (La forza del destino), Germont (La traviata), Miller (Luisa Miller), Rodrigo (Don Carlo), Ford (Falstaff), Escamillo (Carmen), Telramund (Lohengrin), Wolfram (Tannhäuser), Kurwenal (Tristan und Isolde), Beckmesser (Die Meistersinger), Lord Ruthven (Der Vampyr), the Father (Hansel und Gretel), Sharpless (Madama Butterfly), Schaunard and Marcello (La boheme), Onegin (Eegene Onegin), Figaro (Il barbiere di Siviglia), Don Pizaro (Fidelio), Ori in the acclaimed new opera Au Monde by Philippe Boesmans, Il Conte (Le nozze di Figaro), Don Giovanni and Papageno (Die Zauberflöte).
He has made CD recordings, most notably with the music of Sir John Tavener to much acclaim, as well as Mahler’s 8th symphony and two albums of Icelandic songs. He has performed on radio and on television, both in Iceland and the UK.
Critics have caller Mr. Saemundsson “fantastic”, “superb”, “favorite of the public”, as well as “spectacular”. His singing they have described as “having a beautiful timbre”, “huge range”, “dramatic power”, as well as being “beautiful and effortless”.
Hrolfur was the Icelandic Wagner society’s singer of the year and has been nominated to the Icelandic music awards.