John Tomlinson (singer)

Sir John Rowland Tomlinson , KB CBE (born September 22, 1946 in Accrington , Lancashire , England ) is a British opera singer ( bass ).

Life

From 1964 John Tomlinson studied civil engineering at the University of Manchester , but soon acquired a scholarship to devote himself to singing at the Royal Manchester College of Music . In the late 1960s, he moved to London to perfect his art with the legendary teacher Otakar Kraus . This was followed by first engagements at the English National Opera and the Royal Opera House .

John Tomlinson recorded Hercules from George Frideric Handel 's work of the same name and Claggart from Benjamin Britten's Billy Budd . One of his star roles is that of Hagen from Götterdämmerung , which he recorded for EMI in 1991 under the direction of Bernard Haitink . For two complete Ring productions (1988–1992, directed by Harry Kupfer , musical direction Daniel Barenboim and 1994–1999, directed by Alfred Kirchner , musical direction James Levine ) he played the bass-baritone role of Wotan / Wanderer on the stage of the Bayreuth Festival . In Jonathan Miller's legendary production of Verdi's Rigoletto at the English National Opera, in which the action was relocated to the New York mafia family of the 1950s, he gave the Sparafucile in 1982.

In 1993 Tomlinson and the mezzo-soprano Della Jones under the direction of Barry Wordsworth played the vocal roles in the second part of the Last Night of the Proms .

In 1997 John Tomlinson was awarded the Order of Commander of the British Empire, and in 2005 he was knighted.

personal data
SURNAME	Tomlinson, John
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Tomlinson, John Rowland (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	British opera singer (bass)
DATE OF BIRTH	September 22, 1946
PLACE OF BIRTH	Accrington , Lancashire , England