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Peter GlossopEnglish opera singer, baritone
Date of Birth: 06.07.1928
Country:  Great Britain |
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Biography of Peter Glossop
Peter Glossop was an English operatic baritone, best known as the only Englishman to perform baritone roles in the greatest works of Giuseppe Verdi at Milan's La Scala. He was born in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, in a family of cutlery factory manager. Peter's introduction to the world of opera came through his sister Violet, who worked as a secretary at the Lyceum Theatre and often took him to performances. After serving in the army, Peter became a clerk at the National Provincial Bank, and in his free time, he sang with the Sheffield Operatic Society. He made his operatic debut in 1949, performing two roles in Jacques Offenbach's "Les Contes d'Hoffmann" - Dr. Miracle and Coppélius. Peter studied the secrets of proper singing under the guidance of Joseph Hislop and Eva Rich. In 1952, the skills he acquired helped him reach the finals of the Great Caruso Contest. That same year, Peter joined the Sadler's Wells Opera Company, where he continued his studies under the direction of Leonard Mosley.
Operatic Career
For some time, Glossop was mainly given small roles. His first major role came in 1953 when he performed the role of Morales in "Carmen." After this debut, he started receiving major roles more frequently, and in 1955, he became the director of the opera company. Over the next five years, Peter had the opportunity to perform most of Verdi's baritone roles in major works. His performances as Rigoletto and Count di Luna in "Il trovatore" were particularly memorable. In 1961, Peter Glossop won the gold medal at the international opera competition in Sofia, which led to an invitation to the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. He made his debut at Covent Garden in the role of Demetrius in Benjamin Britten's "A Midsummer Night's Dream."
In 1964, Glossop won the gold medal named after Verdi in Parma and had the opportunity to perform in "Pagliacci" at the Salzburg Festival under the baton of Herbert von Karajan. In 1970, he performed the role of Iago in "Otello" at the Salzburg Festival with Karajan again. Glossop made his debut at the Metropolitan Opera in New York in 1971, portraying Scarpia in "Tosca." His repertoire at the Metropolitan Opera expanded to include roles such as Falstaff, Wozzeck, Don Carlo in "La forza del destino," Mr. Redburn in "Billy Budd," and Captain Balstrode in "Peter Grimes."
Later Years and Personal Life
Peter Glossop continued to actively perform until the mid-1980s, appearing in major opera houses in Europe and America. In 1955, he married soprano Joyce Blackham, but they divorced in 1977. He then married young ballerina Michelle Amos, but their marriage ended in 1986. In that same year, Glossop decided to retire from the stage and dedicated himself to teaching. He passed away on September 7, 2008.
