Jon Vickers
Jon Vickers is a Canadian heroic tenor who made great success with Siegmund and Tristan, his two signature roles. He only performed in Bayreuth two summers, which partly was a result of schedule conflicts, and partly as a result of conflicts with Wieland Wagner, who didn't like that Vickers turned down his offers.
Jon Vickers in Bayreuth
- 1958 Siegmund (4 performances)
- 1964 Parsifal (4 performances)
These Bayreuth performances have been released on LP and CD.
Jon Vickers' Wagner roles
Jon Vickers only sang four Wagner parts:
- Siegmund (1958, Bayreuth)
- Parsifal (1959, Royal Opera House)
- Erik (1965, Metropolitan)
- Tristan (1974, Buenos Aires)
Vickers was one of Herbert von Karajan's favourite tenors. Karajan's recording of Die Walküre has Vickers as Siegmund, and when Karajan recorded Tristan, the choice fell on Jon Vickers.
Herbert von Karajan on Jon Vickers
"I have long been fascinated by his work. He is a very complex man; he
thinks deeply about every role and you must talk to him in great detail.
But his presence on stage – above all, his delivery – is so good. In the
great roles – his Tristan, his Otello – it seems to me he brings to the
part a unique sense of musical phrasing. The phrasing may be very individual
but he will lift it and project it. With so many singers the music simply
goes in one particular way; with him it is always individual and special." (Jeannie
Williams: Jon Vickers: A Hero's Life, p 176)
Jon Vickers Biography
Jeannie Williams: Jon Vickers: A Hero's Life (with a foreword by Birgit Nilsson)
A Conversation with
Jon Vickers. By Bruce Duffie.
About Jon Vickers on Wikipedia
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