Henry Robinson Allen facts for kids

Henry Robinson Allen (born in 1809 – died on November 27, 1876) was a talented singer from Ireland. He was known as an operatic tenor, which means he was a male singer with a high vocal range, often performing in operas.

Early Life and Training

Henry Robinson Allen was born in Cork, Ireland. He loved music from a young age. To become a professional musician, he went to the Royal Academy of Music in London, England. This is a famous school where people learn to sing and play instruments.

First Performances

Allen's first public performance, also known as his debut, happened on January 11, 1831. He played the character Basilio in Mozart's opera The Marriage of Figaro. This show was put on by students from his music academy at the King's Theatre.

He really started to get noticed on February 5, 1842. He performed as Damon in a show called Acis and Galatea (Handel). This performance took place at the Drury Lane theatre.

Important Roles and Theatres

In 1843, Henry Allen played two important roles: Acis and Phaon. These were in an opera called Saffo by Giovanni Pacini. In these shows, a famous singer named Clara Novello was also performing. Later that year, he acted as Edward III at the Princess's Theatre. This was in an English version of an opera called Le Puits d'Amour.

From 1843 until 1850, Allen often performed at the Princess's Theatre. This theatre was smaller, which was good for his voice. He sang in many popular operas there, including:

• Don Giovanni
• Otello
• Anna Bolena
• Marie by Ferdinand Hérold
• La Barcarole
• Les Diamants de la couronne
• La Sirène by Auber
• Le Val d'Andorre by Halévy
• The Castle of Aymon by Michael William Balfe
• Night Dancers by Edward Loder

In early 1846, he also performed at the Drury Lane theatre. He played Basilius in an opera called An Adventure of Don Quixote. Many people thought he was a very complete artist, meaning he was great at both singing and acting.

Later Life and Legacy

Henry Allen decided to stop performing in public quite early in his life. Instead, he focused on teaching music to others. He also enjoyed writing his own songs, called ballads. Two of his ballads became very popular: "Maid of Athens" and "When we two parted".

Henry Robinson Allen passed away in Shepherd's Bush, London.