Graham Clark (tenor) facts for kids

Graham Ronald Clark (10 November 1941 – 6 July 2023) was an English operatic tenor, known for roles such as David in Wagner's Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, and the character roles Loge and Mime in Der Ring des Nibelungen. He was a principal with the English National Opera from 1978 to 1985, and performed at leading European and North American opera houses after he was recognised at the Bayreuth Festival in 1981, returning for 15 seasons. He appeared at the Metropolitan Opera in 112 performances over 15 seasons, in roles such as Stewa in Janáceks Jenůfa, Herod in Salome by Richard Strauss, the Captain in Alban Berg's Wozzeck and Captain Vere in Britten's Billy Budd. He took part in world premieres and recorded for major companies. He is remembered as a "superb, athletic actor with a strong, penetrating voice and exceptionally clear diction".

Life and career

Clark was born in Littleborough, Lancashire, on 10 November 1941, where he began singing as a treble in the church choir. He studied at Kirkham Grammar School (where he was Captain of School), Loughborough College of Education and Loughborough University. After a few years as a PE teacher, followed by postgraduate studies and then as a Senior Regional Officer of the Sports Council, he took up singing. He studied with Bruce Boyce in London, especially belcanto singing in the Italian tradition.

He joined the festival chorus of the Wexford Festival in 1973, and sang small roles in Prokofiev's The Gambler and Glinka's A Life for the Tsar. He had his breakthrough when Richard Bonynge accepted him for a charity gala at the Royal Opera House in London on 25 January 1975 with Joan Sutherland, Heather Begg, Clifford Grant and others in aid of Darwin that had been devastated by Cyclone Tracy. The concert was televised and issued on LP by Decca as 'Darwin: Song for a City'.

He then received an offer for a full-time contract with the Scottish Opera, which he accepted. His roles there included Pedrillo in Mozart's Die Entführung aus dem Serail, Jaquino in Beethoven's Fidelio, first Zorn and later David in Wagner's Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg and Brighella in Ariadne auf Naxos by Richard Strauss. He first sang at the English National Opera in 1976, the title role in the British premiere of Ginastera's Bomarzo. He joined the company in 1978, beginning as Rinucchio in Puccini's Gianni Schicchi. Other lead roles there included the title role in Offenbach's The Tales of Hoffmann, Hermann in Tchaikovsky's The Queen of Spades, Mephistopheles in Busoni's Doktor Faust in the first performance in the UK in 1986, and Alexis in The Gambler. He portrayed Matej Brouček in Janácek's The Adventures of Mr Brouček. Clark remained with the company until 1985. He appeared at the Welsh National Opera in Cardiff as Loge in Wagner's Das Rheingold and as Kuratov in Janáceks From the House of the Dead, and as Rossini's Count Ory at Opera North.

Clark became recognised internationally when he appeared at the Bayreuth Festival, first in 1981 as David, which became a signature role. He performed there in 1984 as the Steuermann in Der fliegende Holländer, in 1987 as Melot in Tristan und Isolde, and from 1988 as Loge and Mime in Der Ring des Nibelungen, two other highlights of his repertoire. He performed them in the production directed by Harry Kupfer and conducted by Daniel Barenboim, and again from 2002 in the production by Jürgen Flimm and Ádám Fischer. Clark appeared at the festival in 16 seasons and more than 120 performances.

Clark sang at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City first in 1985, as Stewa in Janáceks Jenůfa. Other roles there included Herod in Salome by Richard Strauss, the Captain in Alban Berg's Wozzeck in 1990, Captain Vere in Britten's Billy Budd in 1992, and Albert Gregor in Janáceks The Makropulos Affair in 1996. He participated there in the world premiere of Corigliano's The Ghosts of Versailles in 1991, described as "the slithery, acrobatic villain" Bégearss, alongside Teresa Stratas as Marie Antoinette. He appeared at the house in 112 performances over 15 seasons. In 1991 he took part in the world premiere of Berio's Un re in ascolto at the Opéra Bastille in Paris.

Clark performed at the Royal Opera House first as Mime in 1995, followed by Captain Verve and several minor roles up to 2018. He performed the four grotesques in The Tales of Hoffmann in 2008, in John Schlesinger's 1980 production. He appeared there as the Marne Seargent in the world premiere of Iain Bell's In Parenthesis [de], a 2016 coproduction with the Welsh National Opera. He performed at Oper Frankfurt as the Fool in Reimann's Lear and as Hauk-Šendorf in The Makropoulos Case, and returned in the 2010s as Monsieur Taupe in Capriccio by Richard Strauss. His last role was in the world premiere of Pascal Dusapin's Macbeth Underworld [de] at La Monnaie in Brussels in September 2019.

Personal life

Clark was diagnosed with cancer of the bladder, and fought the disease for around 20 years, with several surgeries. He died on 6 July 2023, at age 81.

Awards

Clark was nominated three times for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Opera Awards, in 1983, 1986 and 1993. He won the Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Opera in 1986 for his role as Mephistopheles in Doktor Faust. He received an Emmy nomination for his role in The Ghosts of Versailles at the Metropolitan Opera in 1991. He received the Sir Reginald Goodall Memorial Award in 2001, and the Sherwin Award in 2009.

Clark was awarded an honorary doctorate by Loughborough University in 1999, and was made an honorary bachelor of science in 2009.

See also

In Spanish: Graham Clark para niños