James McCracken

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McCracken as Cavaradossi in Tosca (Vienna State Opera, 1960s)

James McCracken (born December 16, 1926 in Gary , Indiana , † April 29, 1988 ) was an American opera singer ( tenor ).

Life

McCracken gained his first musical experience in the church choir and the music ensemble of the local high school. In the Second World War he had to join the US Army. When he was released at the age of 19, he enrolled at Columbia University and was soon on stage in musicals on Broadway . In 1952 he made his operatic debut with the Central City Opera in Central City , Colorado .

By 1957 McCracken was engaged at the New York Met and went to Europe to improve his technique. In Bonn and Zurich he achieved his breakthrough with his star role in Verdi's Othello , which he often sang. From 1963 he sang mainly at the Met (Florestan, Radames, Don José, Canio, Samson).

McCracken made his debut in Salzburg in 1963 as Manrico from the Trovatore , and soon afterwards he sang in Vienna . His voice was unusually heavy and will always be “a matter of taste”, as we read on the occasion of the record production of Verdi's Othello . Here, the ratings went from “unusually ugly” to “disturbing” across the board. The timbre is very extraordinary and immediately identifiable.

McCracken was married to mezzo-soprano Sandra Warfield.

Recordings

literature

Web links

personal data
SURNAME McCracken, James
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American opera singer (tenor)
DATE OF BIRTH December 16, 1926
PLACE OF BIRTH Gary , Indiana
DATE OF DEATH April 29, 1988