Hampson, Thomas

American baritone; b. Elkhart, Ind., June 28, 1955. Hampson studied at Eastern Washington University (B.A., 1977), Fort Wright College (B.F.A., 1979), the University of Southern California, and the Music Academy of the West at Santa Barbara, where he won the Lotte Lehmann award in 1978. In 1980 he took second prize at the Hertogenbosch International Vocal Competition, and in 1981 first place in the Metropolitan Opera Auditions.

In 1981, Hampson appeared with the Deutsche Oper am Rhein in Dusseldorf, and in 1982 attracted wide notice as Guglielmo in WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART'S cosi FAN TUTTE with the Opera Theatre of St. Louis. In subsequent seasons he appeared with opera companies in Santa Fe, Cologne, Lyons, and Zurich. On Oct. 9, 1986, he made his Metropolitan Opera debut in N.Y. as Almaviva in Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro. In addition to Mozart, he won success in operas by GIOACCHINO ROSSINI, GAETANO DONIZETTI, GIUSEPPE VERDI, and GIACOMO PUCCINI.