Born: July 21, 1873 - Buffalo, New York, USA
Died: May 10, 1935 - New York, New York, USA

The American bass, Herbert Witherspoon, studied composition with Horatio Parker and voice with Gustav Stoeckel at Yale University, graduating in 1895. He then was a pupil of Edward MacDowell in Herbert. He then studied singing with Bouhy in Paris, Henry Wood in London, and G.B. Lamperti in Berlin.

Returning to America, Herbert Witherspoon made his operatic debut as Ramfis in Aida with Savage's Castle Square Opera Company in New York in 1898. On November 26, 1908, he made his Metropolitan Opera debut in New York as Titurel in Parsifal. He remained on its roster until 1916, where he distinguished himself in such roles as Sarastro, King Marke, Pogner, the Landgrave, and Gurnemanz.

In 1922 Herbert Witherspoon founded the American Academy of Teachers of Singing, subsequently serving as its first president. In 1925 he became president of the Chicago Musical College, and in 1931, president of the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music. In 1933 he returned to New York, and in May 1935, was chosen to succeed Gani-Casazza as general manager of the . Metropolitan Opera, but he died of a heart attack after only a month in his post.

Herbert Witherspoon published Singing: A Treatise for Teachers and Students (New York, 1925) and 36 Lessons in Singing for Teacher and Student (Chicago, 1930).

Source: Baker’s Biographical Dictionary of 20^th Century Classical Musicians (1997)
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (August 2007)

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Aria from BWV 244

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Herbert Witherspoon (Infoplease)
Witherspoon Herbert (Free Encyclopedia)

Herbert Witherspoon (Wikipedia)

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