John McCollum

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John M. McCollum (February 21, 1922 – October 30, 2015) was an American tenor who had an active singing career in operas, concerts, and recitals during the 1950s through the 1970s. As an opera singer he performed with companies throughout North America, mostly working with second tier opera houses. He was much more successful as a singer of oratorios and other works from the concert repertoire, and enjoyed a particularly productive and lengthy relationship with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. As a concert singer he sang a wide repertoire but drew particular acclaim for his performances in the works of Johann Sebastian Bach and George Frideric Handel.

Early life and career

Born in

publisher before deciding to pursue a singing career. He began studying voice with Mynard Jones in Oakland, California and then moved to New York City in the early 1950s where he became a pupil of Edgar Schofield. He also studied at the Tanglewood Music Center under Boris Goldovsky
.

McCollum made his first concert appearance in New York City as the tenor soloist in a production of

Roméo et Juliette with soprano Jennie Tourel.[4]

During the mid-1950s McCollum was highly busy performing as a concert soloist and performed with some frequency in operas with the

Bethlehem Bach Festival in 1956.[8] In March 1955 he sang Helenus in a lauded production of Berlioz's Les Troyens with the New England Opera Theater opposite Eunice Alberts as Cassandre, Marriquita Moll as Dido, and Arthur Schoep as Aeneas.[9]

The year 1958 proved to be a banner year for McCollum. In April of that year he was the tenor soloist in

Gioacchino Rossini's Le comte Ory at Tanglewood[13] and in October he performed in Thomas Arne's rarely heard opera Comus with The Little Orchestra Society.[14] In 1959 McCollum performed Handel's Ode for St. Cecilia's Day with the New York Philharmonic under conductor Leonard Bernstein.[10] He also returned to Tanglewood to perform with the Boston Symphony Orchestra in Berlioz's Requiem.[15]

Later life and career

Up to this point in his career, McCollum had mainly been busy performing as a concert singer and had not spent the majority of his time performing in operas. This began to change in early 1960s when he began to perform much more frequently in operas, although his concert career remained active. He performed with companies across North America during the 1960s, including the

Beethoven's Symphony No. 9
among others.

The year 1963 was an important year for McCollum's opera life. He began the year singing Licinius in

La Vestale for his debut with the American Opera Society at Carnegie Hall.[17] This was followed by an offer from Julius Rudel, then director of the New York City Opera, to join the roster of principal tenors at his company. McCollum accepted and made his debut with the company in October 1963 as Don Ottavio in Mozart's Don Giovanni.[18] Then in December he recorded the role of King Kaspar in Gian Carlo Menotti's Amahl and the Night Visitors in a television production made by the NBC Opera Theatre.[19] He returned for one more opera with the New York City Opera in 1964, the world premiere of Lee Hoiby's Natalia Petrovna.[20]

After the 1960s McCollum's career began to slow down. He appeared mostly in concerts during the early 1970s and did not perform much after the mid-1970s. He taught for many years on the voice faculty of the University of Michigan. He died in October 2015 at the age of 93.[21]

References

  1. ^ Blechman, Marcus (November 11, 1951). "Concert and Opera Programs of the Week". The New York Times. Retrieved June 26, 2009.
  2. ^ "Soprano and Tenor Share A.T. Award". The New York Times. April 19, 1952. Retrieved June 26, 2009.
  3. ^ "Philharmonic Names Cast for 'Godunoff'". The New York Times. October 7, 1952. Retrieved June 26, 2009.
  4. ^ John Briggs (August 8, 1953). "Munich Conducts Berlioz Symphony – Leads Boston Orchestra in 'Roméo et Juliette' at Fete – Three Soloists Score". The New York Times. Retrieved June 26, 2009.
  5. ^ "'St. John Passion' Offered at Lenox – John McCollum Sings Role of Evangelist for David Lloyd --Munch Is Conductor". The New York Times. July 16, 1956. Retrieved June 26, 2009.
  6. ^ Ross Parmenter (May 2, 1957). "Music: Handel Oratorio; Paul Boepple Leads 'Israel in Egypt'". The New York Times. Retrieved June 26, 2009.
  7. ^ "Miss Hillis Conducts Mass by Bach". The New York Times. February 21, 1955. Retrieved June 26, 2009.
  8. ^ "49th Annual Bach Choir Festival Opens To Capacity Audience in Bethlehem, Pa". The New York Times. May 12, 1956. Retrieved June 26, 2009.
  9. ^ John Briggs (March 28, 1955). "Opera By Berlioz Is Sung in Boston – Rarely Performed 'Trojans' Presented by New England Troupe, Under Goldovsky". The New York Times. Retrieved June 26, 2009.
  10. ^ a b New York Philharmonic performance archives Archived 2014-07-24 at the Wayback Machine
  11. ^ "'Cosi Fan Tutte' Given – Work Presented in Capital by Opera Society There". The New York Times. April 15, 1958. Retrieved June 26, 2009.
  12. ^ American Opera by Elise Kuhl Kirk at books.google.com
  13. ^ Edward Downes (August 5, 1958). "Rossini's 'The Count Ory' Sung by Students at Tanglewood". The New York Times. Retrieved June 26, 2009.
  14. ^ Howard Taubman (October 7, 1958). "Music: Milton's 'Comus'; Little Orchestra Gives Adaptation by Arne". The New York Times. Retrieved June 26, 2009.
  15. ^ Howard Taubman (August 1, 1959). "Music: Berlioz Requiem; Munch Conducts Work at Tanglewood Fete". The New York Times. Retrieved June 26, 2009.
  16. ^ Santa Fe Opera Archives
  17. ^ Harold C. Schonberg (January 16, 1963). "Music:; Dull Moments Revival of 'La Vestale' by Opera Association Fails to Uncover Any New Values". The New York Times. Retrieved June 26, 2009.
  18. ^ Ross Parmenter (October 25, 1963). "Music: New Version of 'Don Giovanni'; City Opera Performs Work in English". The New York Times. Retrieved June 26, 2009.
  19. ^ "New Amahl Is Seen in Opera on N.B.C.-TV". The New York Times. December 26, 1963. Retrieved June 26, 2009.
  20. ^ www.operaamerica.org[permanent dead link]
  21. ^ "John M. McCollum Obituary (2015) Ann Arbor News".
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