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Thomas Hayward (tenor) facts for kids

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Thomas T. Hayward
Thomas Hayward (cropped).jpg
Hayward in the 1950s
Background information
Birth name Thomas Albert Tibbett
Born (1917-12-01)December 1, 1917
Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.
Died August 8, 1995(1995-08-08) (aged 77)
Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
Genres Opera
Occupation(s) Tenor
Years active 1944–1963
Labels RCA

Thomas T. Hayward was an American opera singer. He was born Thomas Albert Tibbett on December 1, 1917, in Kansas City, Missouri. He passed away on February 2, 1995, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Thomas was a cousin of another famous opera singer, Lawrence Tibbett.

Singing Career

Haywardandriends
Thomas Hayward (second from left) with his friends and colleagues from the Metropolitan Opera. They are Licia Albanese, Frank Guarrera (far right), and Jerome Hines.

Thomas Hayward was a lyric tenor, which means he had a clear, bright singing voice. He first performed with the New York City Opera in November 1944. His first role was Edmondo in Manon Lescaut by Giacomo Puccini. He sang opposite Dorothy Kirsten in this show.

In 1945 and 1946, he performed in Cavalleria rusticana and The Gypsy Baron. Soon after his first show, he won the Metropolitan Opera Auditions of the Air. This was a big competition for opera singers.

Metropolitan Opera Performances

After winning the competition, Hayward started performing at the Metropolitan Opera (often called the Met). His first role there was Tybalt in Roméo et Juliette. He sang in many shows at the Met.

Some of his important roles included:

He also filled in for the famous singer Jussi Bjoerling when needed. His last opera at the Met was Mario Cavaradossi in Tosca in 1957. In 1959, he returned to the City Opera for Die Fledermaus. In 1963, Hayward performed in Faust with Beverly Sills and Norman Treigle. This show was put on by Sarah Caldwell for the Boston Opera Group.

Concert Stage Shows

Thomas Hayward was very popular in concerts. He performed in over 400 concerts for communities. He sang with almost every major symphony orchestra in the United States and Canada.

He also performed on large outdoor stages, such as:

He starred as "Mario" in A Night in Venice at the Jones Beach Marine Theater. This show was produced by Mike Todd and had floating gondolas. Hayward also performed with the Los Angeles Civic Light Opera and the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera.

Radio and Television Appearances

For many years, Thomas Hayward had his own radio show called Serenade to America. It was broadcast from New York City on the NBC network. He was also a popular guest on many other shows, including:

  • The Voice of Firestone
  • The Bell Telephone Hour
  • The Ford Sunday Evening Hour
  • Producers' Showcase
  • NBC Symphony
  • Omnibus
  • The Milton Berle Show

He even performed in London at the London Palladium. He was a special guest artist at a big event there. He was also invited to perform on Sunday Night at the London Palladium.

Recordings of His Music

Hayward made many recordings for different music companies. These included RCA, Victor, Cambridge, Everest, and Decca.

He also made two recordings for CBS:

In 1998, a company called Video Artists International released a CD. It had parts of a 1958 performance of La traviata. This recording showed how great his voice was.

Teaching Career and Legacy

In 1964, Thomas Hayward moved from New York to Dallas, Texas. He became an Artist-in-Residence at Southern Methodist University. He was also the head of the Voice and Opera Departments at the Meadows School of the Arts there.

In 1990, he was given the special title of Meadows Distinguished Professor of Voice. After he passed away in 1995, the Thomas Hayward Memorial Award was created. This award honors his contributions to music education.

Notable Students

Thomas Hayward taught many talented singers who became famous. Some of his notable students include:

Later Life and Passing

Hayward continued teaching in Dallas until 1994. He and his wife then moved to Nevada. He passed away on February 2, 1995, due to kidney and heart failure.

Images for kids

  • A Night in Venice 1953

    This image shows the first act finale from A Night in Venice in 1953. The show had a huge cast of 500 people and even fireworks!

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