Opera Scotland

David Bispham Suggest updates

Born Philadelphis, 5 January 1857.

Died New York, 2 October 1921.

American baritone.

David Bispham had an important career around the turn of the century, particularly at the New York Met and Covent Garden.

His main studies were with Lamperti in Milan, though he had earlier worked in Florence under Vannuccini. His first operatic appearance in London was at D'Oyly Carte's Royal English Opera, at what is now the Palace Theatre, in 1891. His debut in Messager's La Basoche followed Sullivan's Ivanhoe in Carte's short-lived scheme. His first appearance in Mapleson's company at Drury Lane was the following year as Kurwenal in Tristan und Isolde. He worked regularly at Covent Garden for ten years from 1892, and at the New York Met 1896-1903.