Ute Lemper

Ute Gertrud Lemper is a German singer and actress born in Münster, Germany, who was raised in a Roman Catholic family. She began performing at age 16 as a member of the jazz-rock group the Panama Drive Band. Her formal training took her to the Dance Academy in Cologne and subsequently to the Max Reinhardt Seminary Drama School in Vienna.

Lemper's early stage career established her across Europe in a range of prominent musical roles. She appeared in the original Viennese cast of Cats and took on the title role in Peter Pan, as well as the Marlene Dietrich-created role of Lola in The Blue Angel. Her portrayal of Sally Bowles in the original Paris production of Cabaret earned her the 1987 Molière Award for Best Newcomer. She later took on the role of Velma Kelly in Chicago, performing the part in both London and New York. Her London performance won her the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical. Her Broadway run in Chicago spanned 1996 to 1997, and she received a Theatre World Award in 1999.

Beyond the stage, Lemper has worked extensively in film and television. She starred as Marie Antoinette in the 1989 film L'Autrichienne, directed by Pierre Granier-Deferre, and subsequently appeared in Prorva, Bogus, Jean Galmot, Prospero's Books, Appetite, and Prêt-à-Porter, the last of which brought her a National Board of Review Ensemble Cast award. She has also contributed to the soundtracks of several films, including The Voyager, Kissing Jessica Stein, and Appetite. In 2007, she served as a juror on Let's Dance, the German adaptation of Dancing with the Stars. For German-speaking audiences, Lemper dubbed the singing voice of Ariel in Disney's The Little Mermaid and Esmeralda in The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

As a recording artist, Lemper was named Billboard's Crossover Artist of the Year for 1993 and 1994. Her discography spans multiple languages and genres, beginning with the original German cast recording of Cats in 1983 and encompassing extensive interpretations of Kurt Weill's compositions, German cabaret songs, and pop albums recorded in English, French, and German. Her 1992 album Illusions was devoted to the songs of Marlene Dietrich and Édith Piaf. She appeared on Roger Waters' 1990 live recording of The Wall, performing on "The Thin Ice" and "The Trial." The 2000 album Punishing Kiss featured songs written for her by Scott Walker, Nick Cave, Tom Waits, Elvis Costello, Philip Glass, and Neil Hannon, with Hannon performing alongside her on two tracks. A compilation, All That Jazz: The Best of Ute Lemper, was released in 1998. In 2003 and 2006, her recordings reflected a transition from interpretive singer to singer-songwriter. In 1991, she participated in the Sanremo Music Festival performing "The Photograph," a song written by Italian songwriter Enzo Jannacci.

Lemper also works as a painter in the neoclassical style, and her paintings have been exhibited in numerous galleries. Her autobiography was published in Berlin in 1995, and she has authored several journal articles. A mother of four, she resides on the Upper West Side of Manhattan and performs worldwide.