Arthur Newman facts for kids

Arthur Newman (born in 1908, died in 2000) was an American opera singer. He was a baritone, which means he sang with a deep voice. Arthur Newman also started his career as an actor. He performed in over 1,300 shows with the New York City Opera. He sang in more than 50 different roles between 1945 and 1959.

His Life and Career

Arthur Newman was born and grew up in St. Louis, Missouri. In the early 1930s, he began acting at the Missouri Theater Company. He mostly played roles that did not involve singing.

In the mid-1930s, he started taking singing lessons. He wanted to become an opera singer. In 1939, he joined the St. Louis Grand Opera Association. From 1939 to 1943, he sang many smaller roles there. He performed in famous operas like Otello, Rigoletto, and Tosca.

During these years, Arthur and his wife, Helen Wright, had a weekly radio show. They sang duets on the St. Louis radio station KMOX. In the early 1940s, he also sang with other opera groups. These included the International Opera of Havana.

Singing in New York

Arthur Newman first performed in New York City on Broadway. This was with the New Opera Company in January 1945. A few months later, he joined the New York City Opera. His first show with them was in April 1945. He played Schaunard in La Boheme.

For the next fifteen years, he was very busy with the New York City Opera. He often played funny, supporting roles. Some of these were Sacristan in Tosca and Antonio in Le nozze di Figaro. He also sang in Don Giovanni and Carmen. He even performed in some brand-new operas for the first time.

Besides his work with the New York City Opera, Arthur Newman also recorded some small parts for RCA. He sang in recordings of Verdi's Otello and La Traviata. These were with the famous conductor Arturo Toscanini.

Later Years

After leaving the New York City Opera in 1959, Arthur Newman became a voice teacher. He taught at Wichita State University in Kansas. A very famous student he taught there was the bass singer Samuel Ramey.

Arthur Newman retired in 1973. He passed away in Scottsdale, Arizona, when he was 92 years old.