James King (tenor)

James King ( May 22nd, 1925 in Dodge City, Kansas, † November 20, 2005 in Naples, Florida) was an American opera singer.

Life

James King was born the son of a sheriff in Dodge City in Kansas. First, as a baritone trained, but he soon switched to the tenor part. After his education he worked for many years active as a teacher at the University of Kentucky. Only in 1961 he decided to move to the stage. The newly opened German Opera Berlin hired the 35 -year-old singer, where he made ​​his debut as Bacchus in Ariadne auf Naxos.

In 1963 he gave his debut in the same role at the Vienna State Opera, where he Kammersänger member was later. In 1965 he made ​​his debut as Siegmund in Die Walküre at the Bayreuth Festival. There he counted, as well as at the Salzburg Festival, for many years to the acclaimed stars. Its outstanding roles included the roles of Wagner and Richard Strauss times he has sung at all major opera houses around the world.

With the role of Aegisthus James King took in 1997 in Washington, DC Farewell to the stage. From 1984 to 2002 he taught voice at the University of Indiana in Bloomington.