Joseph O'Mara Suggest updates
Born Limerick, 16 July 1864.
Died Dublin, 5 August 1927.
Irish tenor.
Joseph O'Mara was one of the dominant figures in British opera throughout a long career as a dramatic tenor and manager. He studied in Milan with Moretti, and on his return in 1891 made his debut in the title role of Sullivan's Ivanhoe at the Royal English Opera in London. During the management of Augustus Harris he sang at both Covent Garden and Drury Lane.
His speciality lay in performing the heavier tenor roles including Wagner, Verdi and Puccini, though he also sang French repertoire such as Don José, Faust and Eléazar. He was leading tenor with the Moody-Manners and Beecham companies before setting up his own organisation, which toured in England from 1912. The company performed in Scotland from 1915 until O'Mara's retirement in 1926. Thereafter the company continued to tour, and if their appearances in Scotland are a measure, they began to visit smaller towns.
He created the title role in Shamus O'Brien (Stanford 1896).
According to his obituary in The Stage (11 Aug 1927) he appeared in 57 operas. He died less than eighteen months after retiring to his home in Dublin, having been in failing health for some time.
Roles in Scotland
- Walther von Stolzing a young knight
-
Mastersingers of Nuremberg 1894
- Enzo Grimaldo a Genoese nobleman
-
Gioconda 1903
- Tannhäuser a knight and minnesinger
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Tannhäuser 1904
Tannhäuser 1905
Tannhäuser 1908
Tannhäuser 1910
Tannhäuser 1916
Tannhäuser 1921
- Manrico a chieftain under the Prince of Biscay
-
Trovatore 1905
Trovatore 1920
- Tristan a Cornish knight
-
Tristan und Isolde 1905
- Raoul de Nangis a Huguenot nobleman
-
Huguenots 1905
- Roméo a Montague
-
Romeo and Juliet 1906
- Don José a corporal of dragoons
-
Carmen 1906
Carmen 1915
Carmen 1917
- Lieutenant F B Pinkerton U S Navy
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Madam Butterfly 1907
Madam Butterfly 1908
Madam Butterfly 1920
- Radamès Captain of the Guard
-
Aïda 1907
Aïda 1908
- Eléazar a Jewish goldsmith
-
Jewess 1908
Jewess 1915
- Mario Cavaradossi a painter
-
Tosca 1910
Tosca 1917
- Samson
-
Samson and Delilah 1910
- Canio leader of the players
-
Pagliacci 1915
Pagliacci 1917
Pagliacci 1920
- Faust a learned doctor
-
Faust 1916
Faust 1917
- Rodolfo a poet
-
Bohème 1917
Bohème 1920
- Myles na Coppaleen in love with Eily
-
Lily of Killarney 1917
Lily of Killarney 1919
Lily of Killarney 1920
- Lohengrin a knight
-
Lohengrin 1918
- Chevalier des Grieux
-
Manon Lescaut 1920