Description

 JOHN CHARLES THOMAS (MEYERSDALE, PENNSYLVANIA, SEPTEMBER 6, 1891 – APPLE VALLEY, CALIFORNIA, DECEMBER 13, 1960)

 

 

 

 

Education: Studied singing at the Peabody Conservatory in Boston and with Adelin Fermin in New York. Further studies in Paris under Jean de Reszke.

Career Highlights:

Early Career: Active from 1915 as an operetta singer on Broadway, achieving popularity with the musical Apple Blossoms.

Concert Debut: New York Aeolian Hall (1918).

European Career: Sang at the Théâtre de la Monnaie, Brussels (1925-1928), where he notably performed in the premiere of Darius Milhaud’s Les malheurs d’Orphée (1926).

Return to America: Guest appearances at opera houses in Philadelphia, San Francisco (1930, as Jochanaan in Salome), and Chicago (1930-1942, debuting as Tonio in Pagliacci).

Metropolitan Opera: Engaged from 1934 to 1943, debuting as Germont-père in La Traviata. Notable roles included Rigoletto, Germont-père, Amonasro in Aida, Figaro in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, and Athanaël in Thaïs (1939, opposite Helen Jepson).

International Reputation: Known for guest performances and concerts across North America, England, Germany, France, and Italy. Undertook a tour of Australia in 1950.

Post-Retirement: Taught singing in Los Angeles, managed a radio station in Apple Valley, and continued to appear in operettas and films.

 

Chronology of some appearances

 

Rigoletto 3/14/1929, Tonio 12/9/1929, Rigoletto 2/20/1930, Renato 4/10/1930, Amonasro 4/24/1930, Tonio 10/30/1930, Giorgio Germont 12/4/1930, Athanaël 12/11/1930, Rigoletto 2/5/1931, Zurga 3/26/1931, Escamillo 4/9/1931, Wolfram von Eschenbach 4/16/1931, 10/22/1931, Il barone Scarpia 1/7/1932, Athanaël 1/14/1932, Rigoletto 1/28/1932, Zurga 2/4/1932, Tonio 3/10/1932, Il barone Scarpia 12/17/1935, Giorgio Germont 12/14/1937, Figaro 2/28/1939, Giorgio Germont 2/2/1943 (Filadelfia).

 

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

Calling me back to you (Seaver) 10276 E21391 Brunswick, New York 1927-01-31

Daddy (Behrend) 10208 15593 Brunswick, New York 1925-04-18

Duna (McGill) 15167 E24753 Brunswick, New York 1927-10-15

Falling in love with you (Meyer) 10276 E21389 Brunswick, New York 1927-01-31

In the gloaming (Harrison) 10167 14185 Brunswick, New York 1924-11-11

Little mother of mine (Burleigh) 10208 14030 Brunswick, New York 1924-10-27

My dream girl (Young-Herbert) 10157 14486 Brunswick, New York 1924-12-15

My message (d’Hardelot) 10258 E24715 Brunswick, New York 1927-10-13

Nocturne – A song of love (Curran) 10258 E24740 Brunswick, New York 1927-10-14

Smilin’ through (Penn) 10151 13938 Brunswick, New York 1924-10-14

The lost chord (Sullivan) 10218 15638 Brunswick, New York 1925-04-23

 

Andrea Chénier (Giordano) Nemico della patria 17639 PCS036432 Victor, Hollywood 1939-08-19

Annie Laurie (Scott) 1977 PBS019289 Victor, Hollywood 1938-05-26

Au pays (Holmès) 15184 PCS019309 Victor, Hollywood 1938-06-02

Barbiere di Siviglia (Rossini) Largo al factotum 15860 PCS036434 Victor, Hollywood 1939-08-19

Bendemeer’s stream (Gatty) 15858 PCS036452 Victor, Hollywood 1939-08-24

Blossom Time (Romberg) Once to every heart 11-8610 PCS072037-1 Victor, Hollywood 1942-01-16

Bluebird of happiness (Heyman-Harmati) 2160 BS062580-2,2A Victor, New York 1941-03-19

Chanson triste (Duparc) 11-8568 PCS036425 Victor, Hollywood 1939-08-17

Curly locks (Benham) 10-1119 PBS68695 Victor, Hollywood 1934-01-12

Gwine to Hebb’in (Wood-Wolfe) 1554 BRC70274 Victor, New York 1931-10-07

Hamlet (Thomas) O vin dissipe la tristesse  1639  PBS68698 Victor, Hollywood 1934-01-14

Hérodiade (Massenet) C’en est fait… Salome demande 15859 PCS036430 Victor, Hollywood 1939-08-18

Hérodiade (Massenet) Vision fugitive 1639 PBS68697 Victor, Hollywood 1934-01-14

Home on the range (Guion) 1525 BRC69655 Victor, New York 1931-05-26

I hear America singing, pt 1 (Kliensinger) (w. chorus) 18009, 18009, 18010, 18010, CS062575-1,1A, CS062576-1,1A, CS062577-1,1A, CS062578-1,1A Victor, New York 1941

I love life (Zucca) 1986 PBS019290 Victor, Hollywood 1938-05-26

In questa tomba oscura (Beethoven) 15857 PCS036426 Victor, Hollywood 1939-08-18

Just for today (Seaver) 1736 BS95686 Victor, New York 1934-10-31

Lord Randall (Cyril Scott) 15858 CS030515 Victor, New York 1938-11-30

Mah Lindy Lou (Strickland) 1544 BRC70273 Victor, New York 1931-10-07

Music in the Air (Kern-Hammerstein) The song is you 11-8110 PCS072036-1 Victor, Hollywood 1942-01-16

O del mio amato ben (Donaudy) 15857  PCS036424 Victor, Hollywood 1939-08-17

Oklahoma (Rodgers) Kansas City 10-1177 D4-RB-1060-1 Victor, Hollywood 1944-12-13

Oklahoma (Rodgers) O what a beautiful morning 10-1177 D4-RB-1059-1 Victor, Hollywood 1944-12-13

Otello (Verdi) Credo in un Dio crudel 17639 PCS036446 Victor, Hollywood 1939-08-23

Pinafore (Sullivan) When I was a lad  18223 CS066738 Victor, New York 1941-08-08

Sailormen (J Wolf) 1655 BS81979 Victor, New York 1934-03-26

Showboat (Kern) Ol’ man river 1571 BSHQ72807 Victor, New York 1932-05-19

Steal away (Malotte) 1689 BS78582-1 Victor, New York 1933-11-23

Sylvia (Speaks) 1571 BSHQ72806 Victor, New York 1932-05-19

Take me back to my boots and saddles (Powell) 1729 BS95688-1,1A Victor, New York 1934-10-31

Tannhäuser (Wagner) O du mein holder Abendstern 7605 CRC71822 Victor, New York 1932-02-06

The green eyed dragon (Charles) 1655 BS78581 Victor, New York 1933-11-23

The last time I saw Paris (Hammerstein-Kern) 2160 BS062581 Victor, New York 1941-03-19

The Lord’s prayer (Malotte) 1736  BS95689 Victor, New York 1934-10-31

There is no death (O’Hara) 18223 CS066737-2 Victor, New York 1941-08-08

Traviata (Verdi) Di Provenza 7605 CSHQ71825 Victor, New York 1932-05-19

Trees (Rasbach) 1525 BRC69654 Victor, New York 1931-05-26

Zazà (Leoncavallo) Zazà piccola zingara 15859 PCS036427 Victor, Hollywood 1939-08-17

Zigeunerbaron (Strauss) Open road 16184 PCS036453 Victor, Hollywood 1939-08-24

 

Apple Blossoms (Kreisler) Little girls goodbye 20001 5960 Vocalion, New York 1920-05

Apple Blossoms (Kreisler) You are free (w. Rene) 20002 5962 Vocalion, New York 1920-05

If you only knew (von Tilzer) 60053 11714 Vocalion, New York 1923-0708

In the gloaming (Harrison) 60020 Vocalion, New York 1920-06

Little mother of mine (Burleigh) 30131 6532 Vocalion, New York 1920-11

Marcheta (Schertzinger) 60053 12517 Vocalion, New York 1924-01

Maytime (Romberg) Will you remember 30136 8602 Vocalion, New York 1921-12

Mother o’mine (Tours) 30127 6611 Vocalion, New York 1920-12

On the road to Mandalay (Speaks) 30135 7736 Vocalion, New York 1921-06

One sweetly solemn thought (Ambrose) 60058 11703 Vocalion, New York 1923-0708

Out where the West begins (Philleo) 30116 6551 Vocalion, New York 1920-11

Sweetest story ever told (Stults) 30122 6535 Vocalion, New York 1920-11

Tally Ho! (Leoni) 30164 8101 Vocalion, New York 1921-1011

The lost chord (Sullivan) 52025 8142 Danny Deever (Damrosch) 52010 6510 Vocalion, New York 1920-11

The love letter (Jacobi) Canzonetta 30145 8111 Vocalion, New York 1921-1011

Vale (Russell) 30156 8955 Vocalion, New York 1922-05

Where is my wandering boy tonight (Lowry) 60058 11701 Vocalion, New York 1923-0708