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Geraint Llewellyn EvansWelsh singer, baritone and bass-baritone
Date of Birth: 16.02.1922
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Biography of Geraint Llewellyn Evans
Geraint Llewellyn Evans was a Welsh singer, baritone, and bass-baritone. He is best known for his roles as Figaro in "The Marriage of Figaro," Papageno in "The Magic Flute," and Falstaff and Wozzeck in their respective operas. Throughout his career, he performed in over 70 different roles.

Born in Cilfynydd, Evans was the only son of coal miner William John Evans and his wife Charlotte May. The Evans family primarily spoke Welsh, and Geraint learned this language before English. After finishing school, the 14-year-old Evans worked as a window decorator in a women's clothing store. In his free time, he took vocal lessons in Cardiff and sang in a choir and local amateur theater company.

When World War II began, Geraint enlisted in the Royal Air Force. Although his primary occupation was as a radio mechanic, he also entertained his fellow servicemen. After the war, Evans worked in radio in Hamburg, Germany. While performing as part of the local choir, he continued to actively study vocal technique under the guidance of baritone Theo Herrmann. Evans later studied in Geneva with Fernando Carpi and at the Guildhall School of Music in London, alongside Walter Hyde.
In 1948, Evans made his debut at the Royal Opera House, singing the role of the Night Watchman in "Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg." The following year, he performed the role of Figaro in Mozart's "The Marriage of Figaro" at the same theater. Throughout his career, Evans portrayed Figaro more than 500 times. It was in the role of Figaro that he made his debut at La Scala in Milan in 1960, becoming the first British singer to perform at the renowned theater after the war. He also had the opportunity to perform at the Vienna State Opera, where he was offered a contract by Herbert von Karajan after impressing the conductor with his last-minute performance. However, Evans declined the offer, as his heart belonged to Covent Garden.
In 1957, Evans had a brilliant performance at the Glyndebourne Opera Festival, where he played the role of Falstaff in Verdi's opera. This portrayal of Falstaff brought him international acclaim, and he received applause from Covent Garden, the Vienna State Opera, and the Metropolitan Opera. He also achieved success in roles such as Don Pizarro in "Fidelio," Don Pasquale in Donizetti's opera, Beckmesser in "Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg," Dulcamara in "L'elisir d'amore," and Leporello in "Don Giovanni."
Geraint continued to perform actively until July 1992, participating in the British premieres of several successful productions. His final appearance on stage was at a gala concert in honor of the closing of the old opera house in Glyndebourne.
Just two months after retiring from his career, Evans passed away. Approximately 1700 relatives, friends, and admirers came to pay their respects to the late singer.