Opera Scotland

Michael Langdon Suggest updates

Born Wolverhampton, 12 November 1920.

Died Hove, 12 March 1991.

English bass.

Michael Langdon was one of the most successful British singers of the post-war generation, enjoying a particularly high reputation for his interpretation of Baron Ochs, which he sang in most of the great houses.

Langdon studied in Vienna with Alfred Jerger and with Maria Carpi in Geneva. He continued his training in London under Otakar Kraus and joined the chorus at Covent Garden in 1948, becoming a principal bass in 1951. He remained attached to the Royal Opera House throughout his career, During the fifties he sang a large number of small roles, and created parts such as Alfred in The Olympians, Lt Ratcliffe in Billy Budd, Apollyon in The Pilgrim's Progress, Recorder of Norwich in Gloriana and He-Ancient in The Midsummer Mattiage. In 1958 the Covent Garden company mounted a ground-breaking production of Don Carlos, directed by Visconti and conducted by Giulini. Michael Langdon sang the Grand Inquisitor at fairly short notice (following the sudden death of Giulio Neri) and had a great success that led to many larger parts.

Equally adept at serious and comic characters, over the next few years Langdon performed leading roles in operas by Mozart, Verdi, Wagner and others. These included Osmin, Don Basilio, Daland, Hagen, Raimondo, Count Ribbing, King of Egypt, Pistol, Kecal, Varlaam, Méphistophélès, Bottom and Frank in Die Fledermaus. He was particularly associated with the part of Baron Ochs in Der Rosenkavalier, singing it at the New York Met, San Francisco, Paris Opéra, Vienna State Opera and many of the major German houses. Other Strauss parts included Count Waldner in Arabella and the Tutor in Elektra.

His first visit to Scottish Opera was for the last two performances of Der Rosenkavalier in 1971, and he sang Ochs at every subsequent performance of the Besch production. Langdon also sang Don Pasquale, a coveted role he had never been asked to sing elsewhere, as well as Raimondo and Varlaam, two parts he had frequently sung in London. He also created the title role in Thomas Wilson's Hermiston at the 1975 Edinburgh Festival.

He retired from singing in 1977, had a successful career as a teacher, and was the Founder Director of the National Opera Studio in London. His autobiography, Notes from a Low Singer, was published in 1982.

Recordings

Langdon's recordings include Claggart in Britten's 1968 recording of Billy Budd, as well as the 1966 TV production. He also recorded (sadly only excerpts) from Der Rosenkavalier, preserved with Scottish Opera in 1974.