George London
George London was one of the most celebrated singing actors of his generation, with an imposing stage presence. In addition to excelling in a wide range of roles, from Mozart's Don Giovanni to Wotan to Scarpia to Escamillo, he was the first North American singer to appear on the stage of Moscow's Bolshoi Theater, where in 1960 he triumphed in arguably the greatest Russian male role, Boris Godunov.
London began his vocal training after his family moved to Los Angeles, when he was 15. He made his operatic debut as Doctor Grenvil in Verdi's La traviata at the Hollywood Bowl, and for a while sang with Frances Yeend and Mario Lanza in the Bel Canto Trio. In 1949, he decided to make his career in Europe, and after an audition with Karl Böhm, joined the Vienna State Opera, where he made his debut as Amonasro, and was an overnight success. He remained a favorite there throughout his career, and was named a Kammersänger.
He made his Bayreuth Festival debut the year it reopened, 1951, as Amfortas, and he also appeared there in the title role of The Flying Dutchman. In 1962, he sang the complete Ring in Cologne, under the direction of Wieland Wagner.
In 1966, one of his vocal chords became paralyzed, and he retired from singing. However, he remained very active in the musical world. In 1971, he established a foundation for young singers (a list of just the most prominent award recipients includes Renée Fleming, Kathleen Battle, Jerry Hadley, Barbara Hendricks, James Morris, and Dawn Upshaw).
He also served as artistic administrator of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (Washington, D.C.) from 1968 to 1971, and executive director of the National Opera Institute from 1971 to 1976, as well as the director of the Washington Opera from 1975 to 1979. In 1975, in Seattle, he staged the first-ever complete Ring Cycle in English.
© TiVo
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Beethoven · Symphony No.9 "Choral"
Gundula Janowitz, Grace Bumbry, Jess Thomas, George London, Karl Böhm, Orchestra E Coro Del Festival Di Bayreuth
Classical - Released by G.O.P. on Sep 29, 2017
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Richard Wagner: Der Ring Des Nibelungen: 1. Das Rheingold
George London, Irene Dalis, Ralph Herbert, Erich Leinsdorf, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, The Metropolitan Opera Chorus
Classical - Released by ArnebAudio on Oct 24, 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Symphony No. 4 and Kindertotenlieder
Rias Sinfonieorchester Berlin, Kölner Rundfunk Sinfonie Orchester, Otto Klemperer, George London, Elfride Trötschel
Classical - Released by Archipel on Oct 31, 2006
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
George London 1953
Classical - Released by Preiser Records on Aug 15, 2006
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mozart · Le nozze di Figaro
George London, Lisa Della Casa, Erich Leinsdorf, Wiener Philarmoniker
Classical - Released by G.O.P. on Apr 30, 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Claude Debussy: Pelléas et Mélisande
Classical - Released by ArnebAudio on Oct 23, 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Strauss, R.: Arabella
Lisa Della Casa, Hilde Gueden, George London, Wiener Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir Georg Solti
Classical - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on Jan 1, 1958
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Strauss, R.: Arabella
Lisa Della Casa, Hilde Güden, George London, Wiener Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir Georg Solti
Classical - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on Jan 1, 1958
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Sinistre-31 / Boo To You, Too!
Classical - Released by Rounding Third Recordings on Nov 18, 2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Words & Music of George London
Pop - Released by George London on Jan 15, 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Bach: Cantata, BWV 202 - Mahler: Kindertotenlieder
George London, Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Hermann Schey
Classical - Released by Urania on Aug 11, 2009
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Taylor Max
Pop - Released by Rounding Third Recordings on Mar 17, 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mr. K / More of You
Pop - Released by George London on Mar 11, 2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Conqueror--Prelude/March/Valiance/Cathexis
Classical - Released by George London on Jun 10, 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Each Day / Iberian Etude
Pop - Released by George London on Sep 16, 2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Hot Red Ford / Have You Ever Missed a Woman?
Pop - Released by George London on Mar 11, 2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo