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Mihály Székely

1901 – 1963

Hungarian opera singer

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About Mihály Székely

Lived 1901 – 1963 (aged 61). Mihály Székely was a Hungarian opera singer.

Mihály Székely (May 8, 1901 in Jászberény – March 22, 1963) was a Hungarian bass singer famous for Mozartian roles. His name in Hungarian form is Székely Mihály, his original family name was Spagatner.

He debuted as Ferrando (Il trovatore) in 1920 at the Budapest Opera, where he remained a principal singer until his death. His Metropolitan Opera debut was as Hunding (Die Walküre) in 1947. He recorded two versions of Béla Bartók's opera Bluebeard's Castle and worked closely with the composer at the 1936 revival.

His most famous roles were King Philip (Don Carlo), Fiesco (Simon Boccanegra), Osmin (Die Entführung aus dem Serail), Sarastro (Die Zauberflöte), Leporello (Don Giovanni), König Marke (Tristan und Isolde), Pogner (Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg), Boris Godunov, Basilio (Il barbiere di Siviglia), Gremin (Eugene Onegin) and Baron Ochs (Der Rosenkavalier). He sang in the Glyndebourne Festival several times, mostly in Mozart operas.

He died in Budapest, aged 61.

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Important facts

Birth century
Occupation
Nationality
Awards
Kossuth Prize; Great Artist of Hungary Award
Also known as
Mihaly Szekely

People in Mihály Székely's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Mihály Székely's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Mihály Székely?

Hungarian opera singer (1901–1963)

When was Mihály Székely born?

Mihály Székely was born on 8 May 1901 in Jászberény.

When did Mihály Székely die?

Mihály Székely died on 22 March 1963 in Budapest.

What was Mihály Székely's occupation?

Mihály Székely was an opera singer.

What nationality was Mihály Székely?

Mihály Székely was Hungarian.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Mihály Székely

· Wikidata: Q480215

· DBpedia: Mihály Székely

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Mihály Székely. https://biography.guide/mihaly-szekely/

MLA: "Mihály Székely." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/mihaly-szekely/.

Chicago: "Mihály Székely." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/mihaly-szekely/.

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