George London (bass-baritone) facts for kids
George London (born George Burnstein; May 30, 1920 – March 24, 1985) was a famous American singer. He was an opera and concert performer with a deep voice, known as a bass-baritone. This means his voice was lower than a baritone but not as low as a bass. He was known for his powerful stage presence and strong voice.
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Early Life and Career
George Burnstein was born in Montreal, Canada. His parents were from Russia and had become U.S. citizens. He grew up in Los Angeles, California.
His first time singing in an opera was in 1941. He used the name George Burnson and sang the role of Dr. Grenvil in the opera La traviata at the Hollywood Bowl.
In 1945, a conductor named Antal Doráti invited George London to sing with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. This was a big step for his career.
The Bel Canto Trio
From 1947 to 1948, George London sang with two other talented singers. They were tenor Mario Lanza and soprano Frances Yeend. Together, they formed a group called the Bel Canto Trio.
After this, London joined the Vienna State Opera in Austria. He became very successful there in 1949. In 1950, he sang in Mahler's Eighth Symphony, led by Leopold Stokowski.
Famous Opera Roles
George London was especially famous for five main opera roles. These were:
- Don Giovanni in the opera Don Giovanni
- Boris Godunov in the opera Boris Godunov
- Wotan in Das Rheingold
- Scarpia in Tosca
- Amfortas in Parsifal
He sang at the Bayreuth Festival in Germany starting in 1951. He often returned there to sing Amfortas and the main role in The Flying Dutchman.
Metropolitan Opera Debut
In 1951, he made his first appearance at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. He sang the role of Amonasro in Aida. Over his career, he performed more than 270 times at the Met. He sang many different roles, including:
- Figaro and Count Almaviva in The Marriage of Figaro
- The Speaker in The Magic Flute
- Scarpia in Tosca
- The title role in Don Giovanni
- Boris in Boris Godunov
- Escamillo in Carmen
- Iago in Otello
- Amfortas in Parsifal
- Mephistopheles in Faust
In 1960, George London made history. He was the first North American singer to perform the main role of Boris Godunov at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, Russia. This was during the Cold War, a time of tension between the U.S. and the Soviet Union.
Recordings and Television
George London recorded many of his opera roles. He also recorded Broadway show tunes and negro spirituals, which are traditional African-American songs.
In 1956, he appeared on Ed Sullivan's popular television show. He sang a part of the opera Tosca with the famous singer Maria Callas.
In 1958, he was part of a very important recording of Richard Wagner's opera Das Rheingold. This recording was led by conductor Georg Solti and became very famous.
Health Challenges and Retirement
In the early 1960s, George London started to have problems with his voice. Doctors found that one of his vocal cords was partly paralyzed. This made it hard for him to sing as well as he used to.
He tried different treatments, but the problem continued. In March 1966, he gave his last performance at the Metropolitan Opera. He sang Amfortas in Parsifal.
He decided that his voice was not meeting his own high standards anymore. So, in 1967, at the age of 46, he decided to stop his singing career.
George London Foundation
In 1971, George London started the George London Foundation for Singers. This foundation helps young opera singers at the beginning of their careers. Each year, it gives money to winners of an annual singing competition.
Directing Operas
After he stopped singing, George London also worked as an opera director. In 1975, he directed the first Ring Cycle opera series for the Seattle Opera. He also served as the general director of the Washington Opera from 1975 to 1977.
His Voice and Legacy
George London had a large, deep, and powerful voice. He was also a great actor on stage. He was tall and strong, which made his performances even more impressive.
His talent was celebrated twice before he passed away. In 1981, a concert was held in his honor at Carnegie Hall. Many famous singers performed there. In 1984, another event in Vienna, Austria, brought together some of the world's greatest singers to honor him.
Later Life and Passing
In 1977, George London had a serious heart attack. This left him partly paralyzed and caused some brain damage. His health slowly got worse after that. He had another heart attack a few years later.
George London passed away on March 24, 1985, in Armonk, New York, after a third heart attack. He was 64 years old.
See also
In Spanish: George London para niños
