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Sunday, December 14, 2014

John Charles Thomas

John Charles Thomas, The Great American Baritone

John Charles Thomas was born in 1891 in Meyersdale, Pa., the son of a Methodist minister.  After study for a medical a career, he won a scholarship to the Peabody Institute in Baltimore in 1910.  In 1912 Thomas left the Peabody and toured with a musical troupe, and starred in many musicals, including “Her Soldier Boy”, Maytime, “Naughty Marietta,” and “Apple Blossoms.”  His opera career began in 1925 as Amonasro in Verdi’s Aida.  He went on to sing in San Francisco, Chicago, and Philadelphia.  He would remain at the Met until 1933 , singing opposite great sopranos of the day, such as Rosa Ponselle.  Thomas sang a very wide variety of songs:


Here is Thomas in opera, "O du mein holder Abenderstarn:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_M2oTNjOxY4


Here is “The Last Time I saw Paris”


And here is the”Green Eyed Dragon”


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ywcugcb1D1g&noredirect=1


And let's not forget Gilbert and Sullivan!

 



6 comments:

Edmund St. Austell said...

Please let me know if the comments are working for you now. They should be fixed. Edmund

Anonymous said...

Yes, it seems to be working fine!

JD Hobbes said...

Thank you for the posting. It is good to see you back online and to see the comments section working. Online entries get more complicated each day, so I empathize with you.

I have always enjoyed Thomas, and I am happy to hear some Gilbert and Sullivan again.

CurzonRoad said...

We were earlier talking about the confines of the vast, seemingly insulated island that is America. Be that as it may, but much of the music recorded by Thomas, indeed his very voice, is quintissentially American, and I for for one feel very much at home. Classic example on your channel is "Give Me My Boots & Saddle." Thank you, Edmund!

Edmund St. Austell said...

Thank you, my dear friend! Great Comment!

Chloe Hannah said...

What a personality!