Opera Scotland

Vladimir Rosing Suggest updates

Born St Patersburg, 23 January 1890.

Died Los Angeles, 24 November 1963.

Russian tenor and director.

Vladimir Rosing was an important tenor who was working in the west even before the 1917 Revolution. He continued to popularise Russian music in Britain between the wars.  Rosing was lucky on his recital tours to have had the services of the great Gerald Moore as his accompanist.

Rosing studied in Paris under Giovanni Sbriglia (1829-1916) and Sbriglia's pupil Jean de Reszke (1850-1925). His debut at St Petersburg was as Lensky (1912).

In 1915 he directed a London season at the Stoll Theatre in which he sang Hermann in the UK premiere of The Queen of Spades.

From 1923 for six years he directed a company that toured the USA, performing opera in English. At Covent Garden in 1936 Rosing managed a season in collaboration with the Anglo-Russian conductor Albert Coates.

On returning to the USA he founded the California Opera Association (1939).  After retiring from singing he worked with the New York City Opera.

While living in the UK Rosing toured widely giving concerts.