Simándy József
voice - tenor
Place of Birth
Kistarcsa
Date of Birth
1918
1916 - 1997
József Simándy was born on 18 September 1916 in Kistarcsa. After finishing his schools he learnt motor-maintenance at the Grey Taxi company and he worked there as a car-mechanic up to the autumn of 1939. The former City Theatre offered him a contract as a "choir-member and supernumerary". One year later he was admitted to the Opera Choir.
At the Music Academy he was Dr. Ferenc Székelyhidy's pupil. In 1945 Viktor Vaszy offered him a contract in the company of the National Theatre of Szeged. He was invited as a guest to the Hungarian State Opera in spring 1947, and then he became a member there. Within some years he sang the following roles in addition to Turiddu and Don José: Lohengrin, Gabriele Adorno, Valgyimir (Knyaz Igor), Radames, Walther von Stolzing, János (The Sold Fiancée), Manrico, Young man (Kodály: Transylvanian Spinning Room), Rotarides (Jenő Kenessey: The Gold and the Woman), Don Carlos, the Prince of Mantua, Lensky, Riccardo, Erik, Bánk bán, Oleg Kosevoj (Meytus: Molodaya Gvardya The Young Brigade), Florestan, Gyuri (Tibor Polgár: Suitors), Tamino.
From the autumn of 1956 he "shuttled" between Budapest and the Opera House of Munich; there he sang several parts that he never sang at home: Edgardo, Alfredo (Traviata), Italian singer (Rosenkavalier), Rinuccio. His further roles in the Hungarian State Opera were: Márton Gyula (Mihály Hajdú: Kata Kádár), László Hunyadi, Othello, Des Grieux, Murat (Erkel: György Brankovics), Cavaradossi, Canio, Homonnay (The Gypsy Baron).
József Simándy was awarded with Kossuth Prize in 1953; in 1962 he received the title Merited Artist, in 1964 the title Excellent Artist. In 1990 he was awarded with Béla Bartók-Ditta Pásztory Prize. In November 1973 he retired, but still appeared on the stage occasionally, up to his farewell-performance in 1980. He died in Budapest in 1997.
József Simándy was born on 18 September 1916 in Kistarcsa. After finishing his schools he learnt motor-maintenance at the Grey Taxi company and he worked there as a car-mechanic up to the autumn of 1939. The former City Theatre offered him a contract as a "choir-member and supernumerary". One year later he was admitted to the Opera Choir.
At the Music Academy he was Dr. Ferenc Székelyhidy's pupil. In 1945 Viktor Vaszy offered him a contract in the company of the National Theatre of Szeged. He was invited as a guest to the Hungarian State Opera in spring 1947, and then he became a member there. Within some years he sang the following roles in addition to Turiddu and Don José: Lohengrin, Gabriele Adorno, Valgyimir (Knyaz Igor), Radames, Walther von Stolzing, János (The Sold Fiancée), Manrico, Young man (Kodály: Transylvanian Spinning Room), Rotarides (Jenő Kenessey: The Gold and the Woman), Don Carlos, the Prince of Mantua, Lensky, Riccardo, Erik, Bánk bán, Oleg Kosevoj (Meytus: Molodaya Gvardya The Young Brigade), Florestan, Gyuri (Tibor Polgár: Suitors), Tamino.
From the autumn of 1956 he "shuttled" between Budapest and the Opera House of Munich; there he sang several parts that he never sang at home: Edgardo, Alfredo (Traviata), Italian singer (Rosenkavalier), Rinuccio. His further roles in the Hungarian State Opera were: Márton Gyula (Mihály Hajdú: Kata Kádár), László Hunyadi, Othello, Des Grieux, Murat (Erkel: György Brankovics), Cavaradossi, Canio, Homonnay (The Gypsy Baron).
József Simándy was awarded with Kossuth Prize in 1953; in 1962 he received the title Merited Artist, in 1964 the title Excellent Artist. In 1990 he was awarded with Béla Bartók-Ditta Pásztory Prize. In November 1973 he retired, but still appeared on the stage occasionally, up to his farewell-performance in 1980. He died in Budapest in 1997.
| Year | Title | Publisher | Code | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Erkel Ferenc: Bánk bán | Hungaroton | HCD 11376-77 | |
| 1995 | Bartók Béla: Cantata Profana; Kodály Zoltán: Psalmus Hungaricus; | Hungaroton | HCD 31503 | |
| 1996 | Kodály Zoltán: Spinning Room | Hungaroton | HCD 12839-40 | |
| 1997 |
Nagy Magyar Énekesek:
Simándy József
(Great Hungarian Voices: József Simándy) |
Hungaroton | HCD 31726 |
Own |
| 1997 | Kodály Zoltán: Psalmus Hungaricus; Fölszállott a páva | Hungaroton | HCD 11392 | |
| 1999 |
Operanyitányok és Intermezzók
(Opera Overtures and Intermezzos) |
Hungaroton | HRC 1035 | Echo Collection |
| 1999 | 400 Years of the Opera Vol.1 | Hungaroton | HRC 1019 | Echo Collection |
| 2000 | Bizet, Georges: Carmen (részletek) | Hungaroton | HCD 32026 | Great Hungarian Voices Series |
| 2000 | Erkel Ferenc: Bánk bán/ Hunyadi László (részletek) | Hungaroton | HRC 1054 | Echo Collection |
| 2001 |
50 éves a Hungaroton - Énekművészek (1951-2001)
(Fifty Years of Hungaroton - Singers) |
Hungaroton | HCD 32096-98 | 3 CDs |
| 2019 | The Masters Collection: János Ferencsik | Hungaroton | HCD 32820–22 | 3 CDs |