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László Polgár was an Hungarian operatic bass.
Born in Budapest, Hungary, he studied with Eva Kutrucz at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music, 1967–72, and later privately with Hans Hotter and Yevgeny Nesterenko. He made his debut at the Hungarian State Opera in 1971, as Count Ceprano in Rigoletto. His other roles there included: Osmin, Sarastro, Leporello, Basilio, Gurnemanz, etc.
His international career took off in 1981, when he sang Rodolfo in La sonnambula at the Royal Opera House in London. He became a regular guest at the Vienna State Opera in 1983, at the Munich State Opera and the Opéra de Paris from 1985; also, he appeared in Hamburg State Opera, and at the festivals of Salzburg and Aix-en-Provence. From 1992 until 2008 he was a principal solo bass of the Zurich Opera House.
Other notable roles of his included: Oroveso, Giorgio, Il Prefetto, Walter, Padre Guardiano, and Filippo. He is perhaps best known for his interpretation of the title role in Bartók's Bluebeard's Castle, which he sang several times with distinction, and also recorded with soprano Jessye Norman, conductor Pierre Boulez, and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
He was also an outstanding oratorio and Lieder singer, and owed his international fame to his beautiful, silky voice, and his remarkable declamation and musicality. His art is quite well represented on compact disc, particularly in opera.
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