Frank Ryan (tenor) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Frank Ryan
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Plaque of Frank Ryan in Tallow, County Waterford, at St. Patrick's Parish Hall
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| Background information | |
| Born | 5 October 1900 Fermoy, County Cork, Ireland |
| Died | 17 July 1965 (aged 64) Tallow, County Waterford, Ireland |
| Occupation(s) | Singer |
Frank Ryan (born October 5, 1900 – died July 17, 1965) was a famous Irish singer. He was known as a tenor, which means he had a high male singing voice.
Contents
Frank Ryan's Early Life and Talent
Frank Ryan was born in Fermoy, County Cork, Ireland, in October 1900. When he was six years old, his family moved to Tallow, County Waterford. There, his parents started a business that sold food.
Discovering His Voice
Frank's amazing singing voice developed a bit later in his life. When he was in his mid-20s, people realized he had a special tenor voice. This discovery changed his life.
In 1931, he won the Tenor Solo award at the Dublin Feis Ceoil. A "Feis Ceoil" is a big music competition in Ireland. He also won the Feis Matthew competition four times.
Joining a Choral Society
In 1935, Frank joined the Fermoy Choral Society. A choral society is a group of people who sing together. With them, he performed in many popular musical shows. Some of these included The Gondoliers, Pirates of Penzance, The Geisha, The Yeomen of the Guard, H.M.S. Pinafore, The Mikado, and Lilac Time.
A Voice Like John McCormack
In 1938, Frank Ryan competed for the Joseph O'Mara cup at the Dublin Feis Ceoil again. The judge, Topliss Green, praised his voice. Green said Frank's voice was beautiful even though it wasn't formally trained. He even compared Frank's voice to that of the very famous Irish tenor, John McCormack.
Frank Ryan's Professional Career
Frank Ryan became a professional singer in 1939. This means he started singing full-time for a living. He joined the Dublin Operatic Society. An operatic society performs operas, which are plays where most of the words are sung.
Leading Roles in Opera
As a professional, Frank sang the main roles in many famous operas. These included Faust, Maritana, The Bohemian Girl, Ernani, The Magic Flute, The Lily of Killarney, Martha, Cavalleria rusticana, and La bohème. He often sang alongside well-known female singers like Joan Hammond and Marion Studholme.
Traveling the World to Perform
Frank Ryan traveled a lot to share his music. He performed in many cities, including London (at places like the Albert Hall and Royal Festival Hall), Glasgow, Belgium, Italy, France, and Malta.
He also gave many concerts across the United States. This included a big performance at Carnegie Hall in New York City. At Carnegie Hall, he sang 32 different songs!
Radio and Final Performances
Frank Ryan was a regular guest on radio shows. He appeared on Radio Éireann (Ireland's national radio station), the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation), and RTÉ (Ireland's national television and radio broadcaster).
His very last public performance was in Fermoy, County Cork, on June 29, 1965. Frank Ryan passed away just three weeks later, on July 17, 1965, at the age of 64.
Images for kids
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Plaque of Frank Ryan in Tallow, County Waterford, at St. Patrick's Parish Hall
