Gregory Kunde was born in the United States in 1954 and studied choral conducting and voice at Illinois State University. He made his professional debut in 1978 at Lyric Opera of Chicago as Cassio in Otello and debuted at the Metropolitan Opera in 1987, building a career of nearly five decades that began in bel canto repertoire (Donizetti, Bellini, Rossini) before shifting into heavier verismo and Verdi roles.

Kunde is noted as the only tenor to have performed both Rossini’s Otello and Verdi’s Otello in the same season, having sung Verdi’s Otello in over 30 venues worldwide since his role debut in 2012 at La Fenice. His unusually long and versatile career, spanning bel canto to dramatic Italian repertoire, and his continued acclaimed performances (including at the Met in 2019) have made him one of the most respected tenors of his generation.

Sources:

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gregory_Kunde