Franz Mazura

Life Born in Salzburg, Mazura was the son of Maria, a homemaker, and Franz Mazura, a tax inspector.

In 1976, Mazura performed as Alberich in Wagner's Das Rheingold under Georg Solti, staged by Peter Stein. On 24 February 1979, he appeared in the double role of Dr. Schön and Jack the Ripper in the world premiere of the completed version of Alban Berg's Lulu at the Paris Opera, conducted by Pierre Boulez and directed by Patrice Chéreau.

Mazura's career as an opera singer was extremely long. He performed in 2017 in the world premiere of Giorgio Battistelli's opera Lot, in the role of Abraham, at age 93. The final performance of this run was on 21 April, the night before Mazura's 95th birthday. Tamerlano Franz Mazura, Helen Donath,Kieth Engen, ,Kari Nurmela Ferdinand Leitner,Cappella ColoniensisKantorei Barmen-Gemarke CD: Profil Edition Günter HänsslerCat: PH11029(CD released in 2015) 1978 Wagner: Tannhäuser Biterolf Gwyneth Jones, Spas Wenkoff,Hans Sotin, Bernd Weikl,Franz Mazura, John Pickering,Robert Schunk Colin Davis,Bayreuth Festival orchestra and chorus VHS: PhilipsCat: 070 ,DVD: Deutsche GrammophonCat: 073-444-6(DVD released in 2008) 1979 Berg: Lulu Dr. Schön / Jack the Ripper Teresa Stratas, Yvonne Minton,Hanna Schwarz, Franz Mazura,Kenneth Riegel, Toni Blankenheim,Robert Tear, Helmut Pampuch Pierre Boulez,Paris OperaOrchestre De L'Opéra De Paris CD: Deutsche GrammophonCat: 463-617-2 1979–80 Wagner: Götterdämmerungin Jahrhundertring 1980 Wagner: Parsifal Klingsor Bernd Weikl, Kurt Moll,Matti Salminen, James King,Franz Mazura, Yvonne Minton Rafael Kubelík,Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestraand chorus, Tölzer Knabenchor CD: Arts ArchivesCat: 43027-2(recorded in May 1980;commercially released in 2003) 1980 Berg: Lulu Dr. Schön / Jack the Ripper Julia Migenes, Evelyn Lear,Kenneth Riegel, Franz Mazura,Frank Little, Lenus Carlson,Andrew Földi, Hilda Harris James Levine,Metropolitan Opera orchestra and chorus DVD: Sony ClassicalCat: 8869 791009 9 (DVD released in 2011) 1985 Schoenberg: Moses und Aron Moses Franz Mazura, Philip Langridge Georg Solti,Chicago Symphony OrchestraChicago Symphony Chorus CD: DeccaCat: 414 264-2/475 867 8 1987 Wagner: Parsifal Klingsor Peter Hofmann, Waltraud Meier,Hans Sotin, Simon Estes,Franz Mazura, Matti Salminen James Levine,Bayreuth Festival orchestra and chorus CD: PhilipsCat: 434 616-2 1992 Wagner: Parsifal Klingsor Waltraud Meier, Kurt Moll,Siegfried Jerusalem, Bernd Weikl,Franz Mazura, Jan-Hendrik Rootering James Levine,Metropolitan Opera orchestra and chorus DVD: Deutsche GrammophonCat: 073-032-9; performance of 28 March 1992 1994 Ullmann: Der Kaiser von Atlantis Der Lautsprecher Michael Kraus, Walter Berry,Iris Vermillion, Franz Mazura,Herbert Lippert Lothar Zagrosek,Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra CD: DeccaCat: 440 854-2

Awards Mazura appears on two Grammy Award winning recordings: as Dr. Schön in Lulu, conducted by Pierre Boulez (Best Opera Recording 1980),

Mazura was made an honorary member of the Nationaltheater Mannheim in 1990.