Description

TUDOR DAVIES (CYMMER, NEAR PORTH, SOUTH WALES, 12, NOVEMBER, 1892 – LONDON, ENGLAND 2, APRIL, 1958)

He studied in Cardiff and at the Royal College of Music in London. During World War I, he served as an engineer in the Royal Navy. After the war, he toured the United States, Canada, and Australia, sharing the stage with Maggie Teyte. He then returned to Britain, where he performed with the British National Opera Company, Sadler’s Wells Opera, and the Carl Rosa Opera Company.

In 1922 at Covent Garden, he sang Rodolfo opposite Dame Nellie Melba’s Mimi in La bohème. His repertoire included leading tenor roles from the Italian, French, and German operas, such as Lohengrin, Tamino, Florestan, Faust, Don José, and the Duke of Mantua. He also appeared in English operas, including Dame Ethel Smyth’s Fête Galante and Arthur Benjamin’s The Devil Take Her.

He created the title role in Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Hugh the Drover in 1924, and performed in the opera’s United States premiere with the Washington National Opera in 1928. He also created the role of Prince Hal in Gustav Holst’s At the Boar’s Head in 1925.

In 1938, he sang the title role in Giuseppe Verdi’s Don Carlos at its first performance in England and appeared in the first Sadler’s Wells performance of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s The Snow Maiden. Later in his career, he focused mainly on concert singing and teaching in Cardiff.

Chronology of some appearances

1922 London Covent Garden

1924 His Majesty’s Theatre

TRACKLIST

1. Maritana (Wallace) Yes, let me like a soldier fall E264 (5-2608) HMV, London 1922-08-24
2. Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Wagner) Kothner announces the rules (w. Michael & Halland) D748 (3-0921) HMV, London 1923-08-27
3. Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Wagner) Meeting of Walther and Eva, Act 1 (w. Austral & Lemon) D745 (3-0916) HMV, London 1923-07-23
4. Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Wagner) Procession of the Guilds, Act 3 (Chorus Davies, Mummery, Glynne, Hubbard & Halland) D756 (3-0938) HMV, London 1923-07-13
5. Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Wagner) Quintet of Sachs and the lovers (w. Austral, Walker, Mummery & Radford) D756 (3-0937) HMV, London 1923-07-18
6. Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Wagner) Sachs recognises Eva’s love for Walther (w. Austral & Radford) D755 (3-0935) HMV, London 1923-09-15
7. Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Wagner) Walther confesses Nature his only teacher (w. Radford & Michael) D747 (3-0920) HMV, London 1923-07-16
8. Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Wagner) Walther’s Prize Song (w. chorus Jones, Walker, Glynne, Mummery, Hubbard & Halland) D758 (3-0941) HMV, London 1923-07-13
9. Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Wagner) Walther’s song, Act 1 (w. Michael & Radford) D748 (3-0922) HMV, London 1923-07-18
10. Messiah (Händel) Every valley shall be exalted D777 (2-02018) HMV, London 1923-06-28
11. My dreams (Tosti) Coliseum 1469 Scala, London 1922-02
12. On wings of song (Mendelssohn) D1283 (2-02234) HMV, London 1927-06-27
13. Rigoletto (Verdi) La donna è mobile 5041 Scala, London 19211922
14. Rigoletto (Verdi) Questa o quella 5041 Scala, London 19211922
15. Siegfried (Wagner) Brunnhilde recalls her Valkyrie days (w. Austral) D702 (3-0855) HMV, London 1922-12-19
16. Siegfried (Wagner) Brunnhilde’s awakening (w. Austral) D701 (3-0860) HMV, London 1922-12-14
17. Siegfried (Wagner) Gunther and Gutrune bid welcome to Siegfried (w. B Jones & Radford) D704 (3-0861) HMV, London 1923-04-26
18. Siegfried (Wagner) Siegfried’s ascent to the Valkyries’ rock (w. Whitehill) DB441 (3-0779) HMV, London 1922-06-30
19. Siegfried (Wagner) Siegfried’s sword forging D700 (3-0776) HMV, London 1922-06-30
20. Siegfried (Wagner) The Forest Bird warns Siegfried (w. Austral & Russell) D700 (3-0858) HMV, London 1923-04-16