Richard Lewis (Tenor)

Born: May 10, 1914 - Manchester, England
Died: November 13, 1990 - Eastbourne, England

The noted English tenor, Richard Lewis (real name: Thomas Thomas), studied with T.W. Evans, then with Norman Allin at the Royal Manchester College of Music (1939-1941) and at the Royal Academy of music in London (1945). He began his musical activities in his hometown, Manchester, as a boy soprano.

Richard Lewis made his operatic debut with the Carl Rosa Opera Company in 1939. From 1947 he sang at the Glyndebourne Festivals and at London’s Covent Garden. His first important engagement was the leading role in Benjamin Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia, at Glyndebourne. He made his American debut with the San Francisco Opera Company in 1955 in the American première of William Walton’s opera Troilus and Cressida. He continued to sing with them until 1960 and then appeared there as a guest artist from 1962 to 1968

Richard Lewis toured extensively as a concert and oratorio singer. In 1963 he was named a Commander of the Order of the British Empire. His repertoire was extensive, including roles in operas ranging from Monteverdi and Mozart to Arnold Schoenberg, B. Britten, and Tippett.

Source: Liner notes to the album ‘Gustav Mahler: The Song of the Earth’ conducted by Fritz Reiner (RCA, late 1950’s); Baker’s Biographical Dictionary of 20^th Century Classical Musicians (1997)
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (May 2001); Manfred Krugmann (Photos 02-07, July 2011)

Recordings of Bach Cantatas & Other Vocal Works

Conductor

As

Works

Brian Prisetman

Tenor

BWV 3, BWV 102; Selections From BWV 138, BWV 182, BWV 205 [w/ Bach Aria Group]

Geraint Jones

Tenor

BWV 243

Eugene Ormandy

Tenor

BWV 245, BWV 249

André Vandernnot

Tenor

BWV 104, BWV 245

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