Description

MORGAN KINGSTON (WEDNESBURY, STAFFORDSHIRE, 1881 – LONDON, 1936)

Alfred Webster Kingston was born at Sparrows Forge, Wednesbury, Staffordshire but his family soon moved to Beardall Street in Hucknall, Notts. At ten years of age, Alfred followed his father down the pit at Hucknall Colliery but spent his leisure hours in music with the St. John’s Church choir and later with the Byron Quartette which included his brother William and two friends, William Holland and H.G.M. Henderson. Alfred married in 1895 and moved to the newly-sunk Crown Farm Colliery in Mansfield where his colleagues clubbed together to send him to London two days a week for speech and singing lessons with Hugo Hinds. The Rev. Stainer of Warsop Church, impressed with his singing, arranged for Alfred to have permanent lessons in London with Evelyn Edwardes. In 1909 he made his first appearance under his stage name of Morgan Kingston one Sunday at the Queens Hall in London and continued these appearances whilst still working at the pit to pay his way. A tall athletic man with a good stage presence, he was singing more and more at the important festivals of the day. In 1912, he was heard at a concert by Campini and Dippel and was engaged to perform with the Chicago Philharrnonic Opera but Dippel then moved to another company and Morgan found himself singing with the Century Opera Company. He successfully sang in Lohengrin, Samson and Delilah, La Boheme, Tosca, Pagliacci and Carmen – all in English, the normal policy of the Century Opera Company though he had mastered French, Italian and German. He could take the tenor role in 50 different operas. In 1913, Kingston sang at the White House for President and Mrs. Woodrow Wilson and was presented with a model of a Welsh harp with an American eagle at its base in solid gold. Kingston was very proud of his present and left it in his will to his son Bert. Kingston was engaged by the New York Metropolitan alongside Caruso performing most notably Manrico in Il Travatore – Campanini called him ‘the greatest Manrico of his day.’ He had come a long way from singing ‘Nirvana’ at the opening of the new drill hall in Mansfield.  Now in his forties, Kingston worked harder than ever touring with the Scotti Opera Company as well as becoming a noted oratario and concert singer while performing in First World War fund-raising events. In 1924 he returned to England to appear at Covent Garden and undertaking concert work. He sang at a Stephenson subscription concert in Mansfield and his final performance was at the Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool in November 1928. Kinston’s health was failing and he finally moved to Stoke Poges – his family were now living in Canada. He died in a London Hospital on August 4 1936.

TRACKLIST

1. Boheme (Puccini): O Mimi tu piu non torni with Louis Kreidler45546 Columbia, New York 1914-01
2. Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni) Siciliana A1575 39268 Columbia, New York 1914-03-02
3. Lohengrin (Wagner) From distant shore A5604 36932 Columbia, New York 1914-04-16
4. Love’s garden of roses (Wood) A5692 37283 Columbia, New York 1915-05-15
5. Avourneen (King) A5692 37284 Columbia, New York 1915-05-15
6. Bohemian Girl (Balfe) Then you’ll remember me A5604 36918 Columbia, New York 1914-03-27
7. Forza del destino (Verdi) In this solemn hour (w. Kreidler) A5577 36912 Columbia, New York 1914-03
8. Gondoliers (Sullivan) In contemplative fashion (w. Macbeth, Keyes & Croxton) A5891 48837 Columbia, New York 1916-06-23
9. Hiawatha (Coleridge-Taylor) Onaway, awake beloved A5863 48643 Columbia, New York 1916-03-22
10. Judas Maccabaeus (Händel) Sound an alarm A5863 48644 Columbia, New York 1916-03-22
11. Lily of Killarney (Benedict) The moon has raised her lamp above (w Kreidler) A5564 36870 Columbia, New York 1914-02-13
12. Mikado (Sullivan) Madrigal (w. Macbeth, Keyes & Croxton) A5861 48834 Columbia, New York 1916-06-22
13. My little love (Hawley) A5934 48656 Columbia, New York 1916-03-24
14. Once again (Sullivan) A5767 36927 Columbia, New York 1914-04-13
15. Roses (Adams) A5767 36919 Columbia, New York 1914-03-27
16. Samson et Dalila (Saint-Saëns) Israel burst your bonds A1575 39241 Columbia, New York 1914-02-14
17. Samson et Dalila (Saint-Saëns) Look down, o Lord A5577 36913 Columbia, New York 1914-03
18. The last watch (Pinsuti) A5564 36926 Columbia, New York 1914-04-13
19. Wonderful garden of dreams (Foster) A5934 37328 Columbia, New York 1915-06-16
20. Yeoman of the Guard (Sullivan) Strange adventure (w. Macbeth, Keyes & Croxton) A5861 48833 Columbia, New York 1916-06-22