Clarence Whitehill
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Clarence Whitehill (November 5, 1871, Marengo, Iowa - December 18, 1932, New York, New York) was an American bass-baritone, particularly associated with Wagner roles.
[edit] Life and career
Whitehill first studied in Chicago with L.A. Phelps, and later in Paris with Giraudet and Giovanni Sbriglia. He made his stage debut at La Monnaie in Brussels, as Capulet in Roméo et Juliette, in 1898.
He sang Nilakhanta at the Opéra-Comique in 1899, the first ever American singer to perform in that theater. He then went to Frankfurt to further his studies with Julius Stockhausen. He then appeared in several German cities, while studying the Wagner repertory. In 1904, he made a very successful debut in Bayreuth, as Wolfram in Tannhauser, later singing Amfortas and Wotan. He also appeared to great acclaim at the Royal Opera House in London, in the first English-language Ring cycle.
Whitehall returned to America and made his Metropolitan Opera debut on November 25, 1909, where he enjoyed a long and successful career, especially in Wagner roles, notably Hans Sachs in Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg, but also appearing in the American premiere of Louise (1921) and Pelléas et Mélisande (1925). He was to remain at the Met until 1932, the year of his death.
Whitehill was a singer notable for his tonal beauty, his nobility and dignity of style, as well as perfect enunciation and poignant intensity.
[edit] Sources
- The Metropolitan Opera Encyclopedia, edited by David Hamilton, (Simon & Schuster, New York, 1987), ISBN 0-671-61732-X
