George London American opera singer, bass-baritone Date of Birth: 30.05.1920 Country: USA

1. Biography of George London
2. Early Career
3. The Metropolitan Opera and Bayreuth Festival
4. Contributions to the Arts
5. The George London Foundation
6. Notable Performances

Biography of George London

George London was an American opera singer, a bass-baritone, and the founder of the George London Foundation. He was born in Montreal to a Jewish family of Russian descent and moved to the United States in 1935.

Early Career

London made his debut in 1942 in the opera "La Traviata." From 1947 to 1949, he was a member of the "Trio Bel Canto" alongside tenor Mario Lanza and soprano Frances Yeend. In 1949, he went to Europe for further training but unexpectedly found himself accepted into the Vienna State Opera.

The Metropolitan Opera and Bayreuth Festival

Starting from 1951, London became a soloist at the Metropolitan Opera. He also performed at every Bayreuth Festival from 1951 to 1964. In 1961, he suffered a vocal cord illness, but continued singing until 1965. After that, he focused on administrative work and teaching.

Contributions to the Arts

In 1966, London served as a jury member for the III International Tchaikovsky Competition, where he praised the talent of laureate Vladimir Atlantov. In 1968, he became the director of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. From 1975 to 1980, he led the Washington National Opera.

The George London Foundation

In 1971, London founded the George London Foundation, which supports young singers at the beginning of their careers. The foundation awards a prize of $50,000 to $80,000 annually to the winner of a special competition. Renée Fleming is among the foundation's scholarship recipients.

Notable Performances

London holds the distinction of being the first American artist to sing Mozart operas in Salzburg. He also performed the role of the Flying Dutchman in Bayreuth and portrayed Boris Godunov in Moscow in the midst of the Cuban Missile Crisis on October 23, 1962. The General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, Nikita Khrushchev, was present at this performance.