John Templeton (opera singer)

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John Templeton
Born 1802
Riccarton, Ayrshire, Scotland
Died 2 July 1886 [1]
Hampton Hill, Middlesex, England
Occupation Opera singer (tenor)
Years active 1816–1852

John Templeton (1802–1886) was a British opera singer. A tenor, he sang at the first English productions of Mozart's operas Don Giovanni and The Magic Flute .

Opera artform combining sung text and musical score in a theatrical setting

Opera is a form of theatre in which music has a leading role and the parts are taken by singers, but is distinct from musical theater. Such a "work" is typically a collaboration between a composer and a librettist and incorporates a number of the performing arts, such as acting, scenery, costume, and sometimes dance or ballet. The performance is typically given in an opera house, accompanied by an orchestra or smaller musical ensemble, which since the early 19th century has been led by a conductor.

Tenor is a male voice type in classical music whose vocal range lies between the countertenor and baritone. The tenor's vocal range extends up to C5. The low extreme for tenors is roughly A2 (two As below middle C). At the highest extreme, some tenors can sing up to the second F above middle C (F5). The tenor voice type is generally divided into the leggero tenor, lyric tenor, spinto tenor, dramatic tenor, heldentenor, and tenor buffo or spieltenor.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Austrian composer of the Classical period

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, baptised as Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart, was a prolific and influential composer of the classical era.

Contents

Early life

He was born at Riccarton, near Kilmarnock, the son of Robert Templeton. [1] He was the youngest of three brothers, all of whom had musical talent. His elder brother James was a distinguished music teacher in Edinburgh, and his other brother Robert was a precentor, in the Laigh Kirk, Kilmarnock. [2] John had a fine voice as a boy and from the age of 14 until his voice broke when he was 17, took part in concerts in Edinburgh with his brother James. In 1822 he became precentor to the Rose Street Secession church. Then, intending to become a professional singer, he went to London and studied under Jonathan Blewitt, Thomas Welsh, De Pinna, and Tom Cooke. [1]

Riccarton, Ayrshire village in United Kingdom

Riccarton is a village and parish in East Ayrshire, Scotland. It lies across the River Irvine from Kilmarnock, this river forming the boundary between Riccarton and Kilmarnock parishes, and also between the historical districts of Kyle and Cunningham. The name is a corruption of 'Richard's town', traditionally said to refer to Richard Wallace, the uncle of Sir William Wallace. The parish also contains the village of Hurlford.

Kilmarnock burgh in East Ayrshire, Scotland

Kilmarnock is a large burgh in East Ayrshire, Scotland with a population of 46,350, making it the 15th most populated place in Scotland and the second largest town in Ayrshire. The River Irvine runs through its eastern section, and the Kilmarnock Water passes through it, giving rise to the name 'Bank Street'.

Edinburgh Capital city in Scotland

Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian, it is located in Lothian on the Firth of Forth's southern shore.

Career

Templeton made his stage debut at Worthing in 1828, appearing as Dermot in The Poor Soldier . After some time in the provinces he made a successful London debut in October 1831 at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. In 1832 he appeared as Raimbaut in the first British performance of Meyerbeer's Robert le diable . In 1833 he took the role of Don Ottavio in Mozart's Don Giovanni at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, at five days' notice. [1]

Worthing Town & Borough in England

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<i>The Poor Soldier</i> play

The Poor Soldier is a 1783 British pasticcio opera with music by William Shield and a text by John O'Keeffe. It was a comedy set around Irish soldiers returning home after fighting in the British army in the American War of Independence, which formally ended that year with the Peace of Paris. One of the redcoats must fight for the love of Norah with the urbane Captain Fitzroy. The events are set entirely in a small Irish village called Carton, a few miles from Dublin, although several versions refer to it only as "a country village".

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He visited Paris in 1842 before embarking on provincial tours, giving lecture recitals on Scottish, English, and Irish folk-songs. In 1845–6 he went on a tour of the United States. [1]

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Templeton had a repertoire of thirty-five operas, in many of which he created the chief parts. [1]

Retirement and death

Templeton retired at the age of 50 [2] and lived at what is now called Templeton Lodge in Parkside, Richmond, Surrey [3] and at 114 High Street, Hampton Hill, Middlesex. Both sites are marked with blue plaques. [4] [5]

He died at his home in Hampton on 2 July 1886. [1] A monument to his memory stands on Calton Hill, Edinburgh. [2]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "John Templeton 1802–1886". Early Musicians and Singers (1810–1860). Ayrshire Arts Network. 7 October 2011. Archived from the original on 9 November 2012. Retrieved 10 October 2012.
  2. 1 2 3 "Sportsmen & Performers: John Templeton". Future Museum. Retrieved 10 October 2012.
  3. "Templeton Lodge, Richmond upon Thames". British Listed Buildings. 2 September 1952. Retrieved 10 October 2012.
  4. "John Templeton 1802–1886 Opera singer lived here". Open Plaques. Retrieved 9 October 2012.
  5. "Plaque: John Templeton". London Remembers. Retrieved 11 October 2012.