Country

:

United Kingdom

Birth

:

February 16, 1922 in Cilfynydd, Wales

Death

:

September 19, 1992 in Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, Wales

Genre

:

Opera

 

Geraint Evans was a Welsh baritone and one of the most celebrated classical music artists of the 20th century. He was born on February 16, 1922, in Cilfynydd, a small village in South Wales. His father was a coal miner, and his mother was a homemaker. Evans grew up in a musical family, and his parents encouraged him to pursue his passion for singing. Evans began his musical training at the age of 16 when he joined the choir of St. David's Church in Neath. He quickly developed a reputation as a talented singer and was soon offered a scholarship to study at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff. He studied under the renowned Welsh tenor, David Lloyd, and quickly established himself as one of the most promising young singers in the country. In 1948, Evans made his professional debut with the Welsh National Opera in a production of Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro. He quickly became a regular performer with the company and went on to sing in many of their productions over the next few years. In 1951, he made his debut at the Royal Opera House in London, singing the role of Guglielmo in Mozart's Così fan tutte. This performance was a huge success, and Evans was soon in demand as a soloist with many of the leading opera companies in Europe. Over the course of his career, Evans performed in many of the world's leading opera houses, including the Metropolitan Opera in New York, the Paris Opera, and La Scala in Milan. He was particularly renowned for his performances in the operas of Mozart, Verdi, and Wagner, and he was widely regarded as one of the greatest baritones of his generation. One of Evans' most famous roles was that of Falstaff in Verdi's opera of the same name. He first performed the role in 1956 at the Glyndebourne Festival, and it quickly became one of his signature roles. He went on to perform the role many times over the course of his career, and his performances were always highly acclaimed. In addition to his work in opera, Evans was also a highly respected concert singer. He performed regularly with many of the world's leading orchestras, including the London Symphony Orchestra, the Berlin Philharmonic, and the New York Philharmonic. He was particularly renowned for his performances of the works of Bach, Handel, and Schubert. Throughout his career, Evans received many awards and honors for his contributions to classical music. In 1969, he was awarded a CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) for his services to music, and in 1978, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II. He was also awarded the Order of Merit by the Welsh government in 1987. Evans retired from performing in 1984, but he continued to be involved in the world of classical music. He served as the president of the Welsh National Opera from 1985 to 1991, and he was a regular judge for the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition. Geraint Evans passed away on September 19, 1992, at the age of 70. He left behind a legacy as one of the greatest baritones of the 20th century, and his contributions to the world of classical music will always be remembered.

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