|
Jon Vickers was born in Prince Albert
(Saskatchewan) in 1926. As a teenager he sang in church
choirs and performed several roles in operetta
productions. In the fall of 1950, he obtained a
scholarship and studied with Georges Lambert. During his
first year in Toronto, he sang in many recitals and took
part in many concerts. In 1956 he made his New York
debut, and also auditioned for the Royal Opera House,
Covent Garden, where he was engaged for a three-year
contract. After a performance as Siegmund in Die Walküre
by Wagner at Bayreuth, he was acclaimed as the world’s
leading performer of the role. In the following years,
he sang at the Staatsoper in Vienna, the Metropolitan
Opera in New York and La Scala in Milan with colleagues
such as Maria Callas, Régine Crespin and Birgit Nilsson,
under internationally-known conductors including Mehta
and Karajan, with whom he recorded Tristan und Isolde
and Die Walküre by Wagner, Otello by Verdi and Fidelio
by Beethoven. He also appeared in film versions of
Pagliacci by Leoncavallo and Otello by Verdi. During his
fruitful carreer, he sang most of major dramatic tenor
and ˝Heldentenor˝ roles: Don Jose, Radames, Don Carlo,
Canio, Otello, Parsifal,Tristan, Siegmund and his
favourite role, Peter Grimes. A Companion of the Order
of Canada, Jon Vickers has been elected to the Academy
of Vocal Arts Hall of Fame for Great American Singers.
He has now settled in Bermuda. |
 |
 |
|
Canada |
 |
|
