Kurt Rydl is an Austrian operatic bass (basso profondo) and for many years has been a guest artist at many major festivals, including Bayreuth, Schwetzingen, Salzburg, Bregenz, Florence, Verona, Munich and Glyndebourne. His opera repertoire includes more than 80 roles in German, Italian, French, Russian and Czech works, most notably his bass coloratura role as Osmin in Mozart's Die Entführung aus dem Serail. His concert repertoire ranges from Mozart to Penderecki, and from Beethoven to Mahler. In 1996 he was named Austrian Kammersänger, and in 1999 he became an honorary member of the Vienna State Opera. Rydl received the Austrian Cross of Honour for Science and Art, 1st class in 2001. In 2016 he was awarded the Grand Prix de la Culture in Vienna on the occasion of his 40th anniversary with the Vienna State Opera.