Opera Scotland

Ian Caddy Suggest updates

Born Southampton, 1 March 1947.

English bass-baritone.

Ian Caddy studied voice and piano at the Royal Academy of Music 1965-70, continuing his training under Otakar Kraus and Iris dell'Acqua. Early awards include the Ricordi Opera Prize (1967) and Countess of Munster Award 1970. He spent a season touring with Opera for All, making his debut in 1970 as Guglielmo, and adding Geronio (Il turco in Italia) and Schlemil in Tales of Hoffmann.

From 1970 he worked in the chorus at Glyndebourne over four seasons, also singing small parts, and performing Schaunard on tour in 1973. Later appearances included the Councillor of Commerce (Intermezzo) and Count in Capriccio.

He first worked with ENO in 1976 as Ajax II (La belle Hélène), followed by Lord Mountararat, Falke, Bobinet and Pooh-Bah. Opera North appearances included Aeneas (1978), Falke, and the Director in Poulenc's Mamelles de Tirésias. He also appeared with Phoenix Opera (Bobinet, Macheath), Kent Opera (Adonis in Venus and Adonis 1976), and Welsh National (Don Pizarro 1989).

His Covent Garden debut in 1982 was as Varsonofiev in Khovanshchina, followed by two Puccini roles, Happy and Yamadori. At the Royal Opera House he also appeared regularly in Rameau operas with the English Bach Festival (Thesée in Hippolyte et Aricie 1978; Pollux in Castor et Pollux; Jupiter and Telenus in Naïs).

With Scottish Opera he sang Macheath in 1981, then Falke, Guglielmo, and the Count in Capriccio.

Performances abroad began with the 1975 Wexford Festival doubling Boreas aand Nicondia in Cavalli's Eritrea and also a rare Rossini role (Pacuvio in La pietra del paragone). He later appeared as Pooh-Bah in Houston (1989).

With the New Opera Company at Sadler's Wells, he created the role of Harold in Time Off? Not the Ghost of a Chance (Lutyens 1970). At ENO he was Boucannier in the première of Toussaint (Blake 1977).

Recordings include Jupiter in Naïs and Don José de Santarem in Wallace's Maritana. He also appears on DVDs of La fanciulla del West (Covent Garden) and Intermezzo (Glyndebourne).