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Jon Vickers

December 07, 2023

This article is about the Canadian opera singer. For other people with similar names, see John Vickers (disambiguation).

Jonathan Stewart Vickers, CC (October 29, 1926 – July 10, 2015), known professionally as Jon Vickers, was a Canadian heldentenor.

Jon Vickers

CC
Born
Jonathan Stewart Vickers

(1926-10-29)October 29, 1926
Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Canada
DiedJuly 10, 2015(2015-07-10) (aged 88)
Ontario, Canada
EducationThe Royal Conservatory
OccupationOpera singer (tenor)
Organizations
AwardsGovernor General's Awards

Born in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, he was the sixth in a family of eight children. In 1950, he was awarded a scholarship to study opera at The Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. In 1957 Vickers joined London’s Royal Opera House, Covent Garden company. In 1960 he joined the Metropolitan Opera. He became world-famous for a wide range of German, French, and Italian roles. Vickers' huge, powerful voice and solid technique met the demands of many French, German, and Italian roles. He was also highly regarded for his powerful stage presence and thoughtful characterizations.[1] (Conversely, he was sometimes criticized for "scooping"—beginning a note below pitch and then sliding up to the correct pitch—and for "crooning".[2])

In 1968 he was made a Companion of the Order of Canada. Vickers received the Governor General's Performing Arts Award for Lifetime Artistic Achievement, Canada's highest honour in the performing arts, in 1998.[3]

Career edit

Vickers studied with George Lambert at The Royal Conservatory of Music[4] and sang professionally in Canada from the early- to mid-1950s. In 1952 he won the Nos futures étoiles competition on CBC Radio.[5] His international career began with his 1957 Covent Garden Riccardo in Verdi's Un ballo in maschera. He continued to appear there into the 1980s, putting his personal stamp on the roles of Énée in Berlioz's Les Troyens, Radamès in Verdi's Aida and the title role in his Don Carlos, Handel's Samson, Florestan in Beethoven's Fidelio, Tristan in Wagner's Tristan und Isolde, Canio in Leoncavallo's Pagliacci, and the title role in Britten's Peter Grimes.[6] Some critics praised Vickers' Tristan as the best since Lauritz Melchior's.[7]

He debuted at the Bayreuth Festival in 1958 as Siegmund in Die Walküre and sang Parsifal there in 1964.[4] Later negotiations with Wieland Wagner concerning appearances as Siegfried in Götterdämmerung ceased on Wieland's death in 1966. His debut role at the Metropolitan Opera in 1960 was Canio in Pagliacci.[8] He appeared at the Met for a period of 27 years in 280 performances of 17 roles, including Florestan in Fidelio, Siegmund in Wagner's Die Walküre, Don Jose in Bizet's Carmen, Radamès in Aida, Erik in Wagner's Der fliegende Holländer, Herman in Tchaikovsky's Queen of Spades, Samson in both Handel's oratorio and Saint-Saëns' Samson et Dalila, the title role of Verdi's Otello, Don Alvaro in Verdi's La forza del destino, Peter Grimes, Tristan und Isolde, Laca in Janáček's Jenůfa, Vasek in Smetana's The Bartered Bride, and the title role in Wagner's Parsifal, giving his farewell in 1987.[8]

Among Vickers' more notable recordings were Tristan und Isolde in 1972 with Herbert von Karajan becoming one of his favourite singers at the lavish Salzburg Easter and Summer Festivals in Der Ring des Nibelungen, Carmen, Otello, Fidelio as well as Tristan und Isolde, Les Troyens, singing the part of Énée (Aeneas), with Sir Colin Davis in 1969,[9][10][11] and a legendary and controversial 1959 recording of Handel's Messiah with Sir Thomas Beecham.[11][12][13]

Although scheduled to sing Tannhäuser at Covent Garden in the late 1970s, Vickers dropped out, claiming he could not empathize with the character,[14] and that the opera itself was blasphemous in nature.[6][15] He sang Nerone in Monteverdi's L'incoronazione di Poppea at the Paris Opéra, and Alvaro in La forza del destino at the Met (1975). His roles also included Don Carlos, Andrea Chenier, Herod in Salome, Giasone in Medea (with Maria Callas in the title role), Pollione in Norma[11] and rarely heard parts such as Cellini in Berlioz's Benvenuto Cellini,[16] Ratan-Sen in Roussel's Padmavati and Sergei in Shostakovitch's Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District.[10] Many critics praised his interpretation of Verdi's Otello,[17] which he recorded twice: in 1960 with Tullio Serafin and 1973 with Herbert von Karajan. Vickers also was a long time collaborator with American pianist Richard Woitach.[18][19]

Vickers further sang at the 'home' of Italian opera, Milan's La Scala, as well as in the major opera houses of Chicago, San Francisco, Vienna, and at the Salzburg Festival. He retired in 1988.[20]

Personal life and death edit

Vickers was born into the musical family of William, a teacher and school principal, and Myrle (née Mossop). As a youth he sang in his father's church, and his initial intention was to study medicine. He worked on a neighbour's farm and acquired the muscular stature that characterized him. During a semi-professional production his leading lady made a recording of his voice and sent it to The Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. He auditioned there with Every Valley Shall be Exalted and was offered a scholarship.[21]

In 1953 he married Henrietta (Hetti) Outerbridge. They had five children. After her death in 1991, he married Judith Stewart.[21] Vickers died of Alzheimer's disease on July 10, 2015, in Ontario.[22][23]

Religion edit

He was a dedicated, outspoken Protestant; one writer referred to him as "God's tenor" for this reason.[24]

Discography edit

Vickers' voice was recorded in dozens of performances, including:[10]

Opera recordings edit

Concert recordings edit

Recital recordings edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Jon Vickers, tenor – obituary". The Telegraph. July 12, 2015. Retrieved July 14, 2015.
  2. ^ "Reputations – Jon Vickers". Gramophone. Retrieved August 29, 2021.
  3. ^ "Jon Vickers biography". Governor General's Performing Arts Awards Foundation. Retrieved February 4, 2015.
  4. ^ a b Jon Vickers July 14, 2015, at the Wayback Machine (in German) Bayreuth Festival. Retrieved July 14, 2015
  5. ^ Suzanne Thomas (December 15, 2013). "Nos futures étoiles". The Canadian Encyclopedia.
  6. ^ a b "Canadian-born tenor Jon Vickers dies". Royal Opera House. July 11, 2015. Retrieved July 14, 2015.
  7. ^ Classical Music: The Listener's Companion (2002), ed. Alexander J. Morin, pp. 1038
  8. ^ a b "Remembering Jon Vickers 1926–2015". Metropolitan Opera. Retrieved July 14, 2015.
  9. ^ "Mort du ténor Jon Vickers, interprète inoubliable d'Enée et d'Otello". Le Monde (in French). July 13, 2015. Retrieved July 14, 2015.
  10. ^ a b c Jon Vickers: A Hero's Life (1999) by Jeannie Williams and Birgit Nilsson
  11. ^ a b c Cooper, Katherine (July 13, 2015). "Obituary – Jon Vickers". Presto Classical. Retrieved July 14, 2015.
  12. ^ "Messiah". Classical Net. Retrieved July 14, 2015.
  13. ^ "Jon Vickers obituary". The Guardian. July 12, 2015. Retrieved July 14, 2015.
  14. ^ Baker, John (July 13, 2015). "Farewell to Canadian-born Tenor Jon Vickers". Texas Public Radio. Retrieved July 14, 2014.
  15. ^ Cohen, Steve (January 1, 2011). "Tannhäuser': Blasphemy or piety". Broad Street Review. Retrieved July 14, 2015.
  16. ^ Henahan, Donal (May 10, 1983). "MUSIC: BERLIOZ'S 'CELLINI'". The New York Times. Retrieved July 14, 2015.
  17. ^ "Chicago Classical Review » » Vickers' Moor revisited and Domingo's "Otello" farewell". Retrieved August 29, 2021.
  18. ^ Crory, Neil (June 30, 2001), "New York", Opera Canada, vol. 42, no. 1, p. 34, retrieved September 9, 2013
  19. ^ Winters, Ken (April 16, 2005), "Classical: Recital will long shine in the memory", The Globe and Mail, p. R6, retrieved September 9, 2013
  20. ^ Tommasini, Anthony (July 12, 2015). "Jon Vickers, Opera Star Known for His Raw Power and Intensity, Dies at 88". The New York Times. Retrieved July 14, 2015.
  21. ^ a b Barker, Frank Granville; Blyth, Alan (July 10, 2015), "Obituaries", The Guardian, p. 35, retrieved July 14, 2015
  22. ^ William R. Braun (July 11, 2015). "Jon Vickers, 88, Heroic Canadian Tenor, Has Died". Opera News.
  23. ^ Anthony Tommasini (July 12, 2015). "Jon Vickers, Opera Star Known for His Raw Power and Intensity, Dies at 88". The New York Times.
  24. ^ Rhein, John von. "'God's tenor' Jon Vickers dead at 88". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved August 29, 2021.
  25. ^ Performed in English, OCLC 54404309.

Bibliography edit

  • Kuhn, Laura (ed.). "Vickers, Jon(athan) Stewart" in Baker's Student Encyclopedia of Music: R-Z, p. 1952. Schirmer Books, 1999. ISBN 0-02-865315-7
  • Macdonnell, W.M. and Norman, Barbara. "Vickers, Jonathan Stewart" February 10, 2010, at the Wayback Machine. The Canadian Encyclopedia
  • Jon Vickers: A Hero's Life by Jeannie Williams, Northeastern University Press, 1999. ISBN 1-55553-408-2

External links edit

  • by Bruce Duffie (originally published 1981 in Wagner News, the newsletter of the Wagner Society of America)
  • wagneropera.net
  • Jon Vickers at IMDb
  • On YouTube as Otello
  • Singing MESSIAH (YouTube)
  • Siegmund in DIE WALKURE

December 07, 2023
vickers, this, article, about, canadian, opera, singer, other, people, with, similar, names, john, vickers, disambiguation, jonathan, stewart, vickers, october, 1926, july, 2015, known, professionally, canadian, heldentenor, ccbornjonathan, stewart, vickers, 1. This article is about the Canadian opera singer For other people with similar names see John Vickers disambiguation Jonathan Stewart Vickers CC October 29 1926 July 10 2015 known professionally as Jon Vickers was a Canadian heldentenor Jon VickersCCBornJonathan Stewart Vickers 1926 10 29 October 29 1926Prince Albert Saskatchewan CanadaDiedJuly 10 2015 2015 07 10 aged 88 Ontario CanadaEducationThe Royal ConservatoryOccupationOpera singer tenor OrganizationsRoyal Opera House Metropolitan OperaAwardsGovernor General s AwardsBorn in Prince Albert Saskatchewan he was the sixth in a family of eight children In 1950 he was awarded a scholarship to study opera at The Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto In 1957 Vickers joined London s Royal Opera House Covent Garden company In 1960 he joined the Metropolitan Opera He became world famous for a wide range of German French and Italian roles Vickers huge powerful voice and solid technique met the demands of many French German and Italian roles He was also highly regarded for his powerful stage presence and thoughtful characterizations 1 Conversely he was sometimes criticized for scooping beginning a note below pitch and then sliding up to the correct pitch and for crooning 2 In 1968 he was made a Companion of the Order of Canada Vickers received the Governor General s Performing Arts Award for Lifetime Artistic Achievement Canada s highest honour in the performing arts in 1998 3 Contents 1 Career 2 Personal life and death 3 Religion 4 Discography 4 1 Opera recordings 4 2 Concert recordings 4 3 Recital recordings 5 References 6 Bibliography 7 External linksCareer editVickers studied with George Lambert at The Royal Conservatory of Music 4 and sang professionally in Canada from the early to mid 1950s In 1952 he won the Nos futures etoiles competition on CBC Radio 5 His international career began with his 1957 Covent Garden Riccardo in Verdi s Un ballo in maschera He continued to appear there into the 1980s putting his personal stamp on the roles of Enee in Berlioz s Les Troyens Radames in Verdi s Aida and the title role in his Don Carlos Handel s Samson Florestan in Beethoven s Fidelio Tristan in Wagner s Tristan und Isolde Canio in Leoncavallo s Pagliacci and the title role in Britten s Peter Grimes 6 Some critics praised Vickers Tristan as the best since Lauritz Melchior s 7 He debuted at the Bayreuth Festival in 1958 as Siegmund in Die Walkure and sang Parsifal there in 1964 4 Later negotiations with Wieland Wagner concerning appearances as Siegfried in Gotterdammerung ceased on Wieland s death in 1966 His debut role at the Metropolitan Opera in 1960 was Canio in Pagliacci 8 He appeared at the Met for a period of 27 years in 280 performances of 17 roles including Florestan in Fidelio Siegmund in Wagner s Die Walkure Don Jose in Bizet s Carmen Radames in Aida Erik in Wagner s Der fliegende Hollander Herman in Tchaikovsky s Queen of Spades Samson in both Handel s oratorio and Saint Saens Samson et Dalila the title role of Verdi s Otello Don Alvaro in Verdi s La forza del destino Peter Grimes Tristan und Isolde Laca in Janacek s Jenufa Vasek in Smetana s The Bartered Bride and the title role in Wagner s Parsifal giving his farewell in 1987 8 Among Vickers more notable recordings were Tristan und Isolde in 1972 with Herbert von Karajan becoming one of his favourite singers at the lavish Salzburg Easter and Summer Festivals in Der Ring des Nibelungen Carmen Otello Fidelio as well as Tristan und Isolde Les Troyens singing the part of Enee Aeneas with Sir Colin Davis in 1969 9 10 11 and a legendary and controversial 1959 recording of Handel s Messiah with Sir Thomas Beecham 11 12 13 Although scheduled to sing Tannhauser at Covent Garden in the late 1970s Vickers dropped out claiming he could not empathize with the character 14 and that the opera itself was blasphemous in nature 6 15 He sang Nerone in Monteverdi s L incoronazione di Poppea at the Paris Opera and Alvaro in La forza del destino at the Met 1975 His roles also included Don Carlos Andrea Chenier Herod in Salome Giasone in Medea with Maria Callas in the title role Pollione in Norma 11 and rarely heard parts such as Cellini in Berlioz s Benvenuto Cellini 16 Ratan Sen in Roussel s Padmavati and Sergei in Shostakovitch s Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District 10 Many critics praised his interpretation of Verdi s Otello 17 which he recorded twice in 1960 with Tullio Serafin and 1973 with Herbert von Karajan Vickers also was a long time collaborator with American pianist Richard Woitach 18 19 Vickers further sang at the home of Italian opera Milan s La Scala as well as in the major opera houses of Chicago San Francisco Vienna and at the Salzburg Festival He retired in 1988 20 Personal life and death editVickers was born into the musical family of William a teacher and school principal and Myrle nee Mossop As a youth he sang in his father s church and his initial intention was to study medicine He worked on a neighbour s farm and acquired the muscular stature that characterized him During a semi professional production his leading lady made a recording of his voice and sent it to The Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto He auditioned there with Every Valley Shall be Exalted and was offered a scholarship 21 In 1953 he married Henrietta Hetti Outerbridge They had five children After her death in 1991 he married Judith Stewart 21 Vickers died of Alzheimer s disease on July 10 2015 in Ontario 22 23 Religion editHe was a dedicated outspoken Protestant one writer referred to him as God s tenor for this reason 24 Discography editVickers voice was recorded in dozens of performances including 10 Opera recordings edit Aeneas in Berlioz s Les Troyens with conductor Rafael Kubelik live recording from the Royal Opera Coven Garden in 1957 Giasone in Cherubini s Medea with conductor Nicola Rescigno live recording from Dallas Civic Opera 1958 Don Carlo in Verdi s Don Carlos with conductor Carlo Maria Giulini live recording from the Royal Opera House Covent Garden 1958 Siegmund in Wagner s Die Walkure with conductor Hans Knappertsbusch live recording from the Bayreuth Festival 1958 Samson in Handel s Samson with conductor Raymond Leppard live recording from the Royal Opera House Covent Garden 1959 Otello in Verdi s Otello with conductor Tullio Serafin RCA Victor 1960 Siegmund in Wagner s Die Walkure with conductor Erich Leinsdorf Decca 1961 Radames in Verdi s Aida with conductor Sir Georg Solti Decca 1961 Florestan in Beethoven s Fidelio with conductor Otto Klemperer EMI 1961 Samson in Saint Saens Samson and Delilah with conductor Georges Pretre EMI 1962 Gustavo III in Verdi s Un ballo in maschera with conductor Edward Downes live recording from the Royal Opera House Covent Garden 1962 Parsifal in Wagner s Parsifal with conductor Hans Knappertsbusch live recording from the Bayreuth Festival 1964 Siegmund in Wagner s Die Walkure with conductor Herbert von Karajan Deutsche Grammophon 1966 Enee in Berlioz s Les Troyens with conductor Colin Davis Philips 1969 Don Jose in Bizet s Carmen with conductor Rafael Fruhbeck de Burgos EMI 1969 70 Florestan in Beethoven s Fidelio with conductor Herbert von Karajan EMI 1970 Tristan in Wagner s Tristan und Isolde with conductor Herbert von Karajan EMI 1971 72 Otello in Verdi s Otello with conductor Herbert von Karajan EMI 1973 Pollione in Bellini s Norma with conductor Giuseppe Patane live recording from the Festival d Orange 1974 Cellini in Berlioz s Benvenuto Cellini with conductor Sarah Caldwell VAI 1975 25 Grimes in Britten s Peter Grimes with conductor Colin Davis Philips 1978 Concert recordings edit Elgar The Dream of Gerontius with conductor Sir John Barbirolli live recording Rome 1957 Handel Messiah with conductor Sir Thomas Beecham RCA Victor 1959 Vaughan Williams Serenade to Music with conductor Leonard Bernstein live recording from the Lincoln Center NY 1962 Verdi Requiem with conductor Sir John Barbirolli EMI 1969 70 Mahler Das Lied von der Erde with conductor Sir Colin Davis Philips 1981 Beethoven Symphony No 9 Choral with conductor Zubin Mehta RCA Red Seal 1984 Recital recordings edit Italian Opera Arias Arias by Cilea Flotow Giordano Leoncavallo Ponchielli Puccini and Verdi with conductor Tullio Serafin RCA Victor 1961 Franz Schubert Winterreise with pianist Geoffrey Parsons EMI 1983 Franz Schubert Winterreise with pianist Peter Schaaf VAI 1995 Richard Strauss Enoch Arden Op 38 with pianist Marc Andre Hamelin VAI 2006 References edit Jon Vickers tenor obituary The Telegraph July 12 2015 Retrieved July 14 2015 Reputations Jon Vickers Gramophone Retrieved August 29 2021 Jon Vickers biography Governor General s Performing Arts Awards Foundation Retrieved February 4 2015 a b Jon Vickers Archived July 14 2015 at the Wayback Machine in German Bayreuth Festival Retrieved July 14 2015 Suzanne Thomas December 15 2013 Nos futures etoiles The Canadian Encyclopedia a b Canadian born tenor Jon Vickers dies Royal Opera House July 11 2015 Retrieved July 14 2015 Classical Music The Listener s Companion 2002 ed Alexander J Morin pp 1038 a b Remembering Jon Vickers 1926 2015 Metropolitan Opera Retrieved July 14 2015 Mort du tenor Jon Vickers interprete inoubliable d Enee et d Otello Le Monde in French July 13 2015 Retrieved July 14 2015 a b c Jon Vickers A Hero s Life 1999 by Jeannie Williams and Birgit Nilsson a b c Cooper Katherine July 13 2015 Obituary Jon Vickers Presto Classical Retrieved July 14 2015 Messiah Classical Net Retrieved July 14 2015 Jon Vickers obituary The Guardian July 12 2015 Retrieved July 14 2015 Baker John July 13 2015 Farewell to Canadian born Tenor Jon Vickers Texas Public Radio Retrieved July 14 2014 Cohen Steve January 1 2011 Tannhauser Blasphemy or piety Broad Street Review Retrieved July 14 2015 Henahan Donal May 10 1983 MUSIC BERLIOZ S CELLINI The New York Times Retrieved July 14 2015 Chicago Classical Review Vickers Moor revisited and Domingo s Otello farewell Retrieved August 29 2021 Crory Neil June 30 2001 New York Opera Canada vol 42 no 1 p 34 retrieved September 9 2013 Winters Ken April 16 2005 Classical Recital will long shine in the memory The Globe and Mail p R6 retrieved September 9 2013 Tommasini Anthony July 12 2015 Jon Vickers Opera Star Known for His Raw Power and Intensity Dies at 88 The New York Times Retrieved July 14 2015 a b Barker Frank Granville Blyth Alan July 10 2015 Obituaries The Guardian p 35 retrieved July 14 2015 William R Braun July 11 2015 Jon Vickers 88 Heroic Canadian Tenor Has Died Opera News Anthony Tommasini July 12 2015 Jon Vickers Opera Star Known for His Raw Power and Intensity Dies at 88 The New York Times Rhein John von God s tenor Jon Vickers dead at 88 chicagotribune com Retrieved August 29 2021 Performed in English OCLC 54404309 Bibliography editKuhn Laura ed Vickers Jon athan Stewart in Baker s Student Encyclopedia of Music R Z p 1952 Schirmer Books 1999 ISBN 0 02 865315 7 Macdonnell W M and Norman Barbara Vickers Jonathan Stewart Archived February 10 2010 at the Wayback Machine The Canadian Encyclopedia Jon Vickers A Hero s Life by Jeannie Williams Northeastern University Press 1999 ISBN 1 55553 408 2External links editInterview with Jon Vickers by Bruce Duffie originally published 1981 in Wagner News the newsletter of the Wagner Society of America Jon Vickers wagneropera net Jon Vickers at IMDb On YouTube as Otello Singing MESSIAH YouTube Siegmund in DIE WALKUREPortals nbsp Opera nbsp Canada Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Jon Vickers amp oldid 1176438621, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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