Roy Henderson

Roy Galbraith Henderson (born July 4, 1899 in Edinburgh , † March 16, 2000 in London ) was a Scottish opera singer ( baritone ) and vocal teacher .

Life

Henderson served in the infantry during World War I and then studied from 1920 to 1925 at the Royal Academy of Music , where he received the Worshipful Company of Musicians' Medal . In 1925 he made his debut as Zaratustra in a performance of Frederick Delius ' Mass of Life by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra . As a result, he also sang in the first recording of Delius Sea Drift and the world premiere of his Idyll . He also appeared in the world premieres of Ralph Vaughan Williams ' Dona Nobis Pacem , Five Tudor Portraits, and Serenade to Music .

As an opera singer Henderson made his debut in 1926 in Verdi's Falstaff in a production of the British National Opera Company . In 1928 he made his debut at Covent Garden Opera as Donner in Wagner's Rheingold . Later he also appeared as a Kothner in his Mastersingers and as a Herald in Lohengrin .

Henderson has been a participant in the Glyndebourne Festival since it opened in 1934 , where he performed the Almaviva in Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro and Guglielmo in Così fan tutte , and in the late thirties also the Masetto in Don Giovanni and Papageno in the Magic Flute, as well as in a touring version from John Gay's The Beggar's Opera sang Mr. Peachum.

He also directed the Huddersfield Glee and Madrigal Society from 1932 to 1939 and founded the Oriana Choir in Nottingham in 1936 , which he directed until 1952. From 1940 to 1974 he taught singing at the Royal Academy of Music. His most prominent student was Kathleen Ferrier . In 1970 he was named Commander of the British Empire .

Web links

• Roy Henderson at Operissimo  on the basis of the Great Singer Lexicon
• Dictionary of Music: Roy Henderson
• New York Times, March 21, 2000: "Roy Henderson, 100, Scottish Baritone and Teacher"