Opera Singer. He was a baritone who sang a wide variety of parts (though he was best known for Verdi roles) in opera houses the world over for more than 30 years. Raised under rather poor circumstances in South Yorkshire, he saw service in the Royal Army during the years just after WWII. While working as a bank clerk, he made his opera debut with the Sheffield Operatic Society in 1949 as Coppelius in "The Tales of Hoffman". After study in London, he joined Sadler's Wells in 1952, where he progressed from the chorus to lead roles such as Figaro, Rigoletto, Count de Luna, and Scarpia. In 1961, he won the International Competition for Young Opera Singers in Sofia, Bulgaria; this led to his Covent Garden debut, and to an international career. Glossop made his La Scala Milano debut in 1965, as Rigoletto. His first performances with both the Paris Opera and the San Francisco Opera were as Posa in "Don Carlo" in 1966. Always blessed with the ability to be a quick study, he learned Tonio in "I Pagliacci" in one day for La Scala in 1967. He was much acclaimed as Iago (to Jon Vickers' Otello) at Salzburg in 1970; this production was made into a movie. His Metropolitan Opera debut was in June, 1971, as Scarpia, in "Tosca" (in a performance that was also James Levine's debut). He sang 85 performances with the company, including the 1978 production of Britten's "Billy Budd"; the last was in 1986. He gradually retired in the late 1980s, and taught in Devonshire. His memoirs, "The Story of a Yorkshire Baritone", were published in 2004. Glossop's legacy of studio recordings is small, but a number of live performances are in print.
Opera Singer. He was a baritone who sang a wide variety of parts (though he was best known for Verdi roles) in opera houses the world over for more than 30 years. Raised under rather poor circumstances in South Yorkshire, he saw service in the Royal Army during the years just after WWII. While working as a bank clerk, he made his opera debut with the Sheffield Operatic Society in 1949 as Coppelius in "The Tales of Hoffman". After study in London, he joined Sadler's Wells in 1952, where he progressed from the chorus to lead roles such as Figaro, Rigoletto, Count de Luna, and Scarpia. In 1961, he won the International Competition for Young Opera Singers in Sofia, Bulgaria; this led to his Covent Garden debut, and to an international career. Glossop made his La Scala Milano debut in 1965, as Rigoletto. His first performances with both the Paris Opera and the San Francisco Opera were as Posa in "Don Carlo" in 1966. Always blessed with the ability to be a quick study, he learned Tonio in "I Pagliacci" in one day for La Scala in 1967. He was much acclaimed as Iago (to Jon Vickers' Otello) at Salzburg in 1970; this production was made into a movie. His Metropolitan Opera debut was in June, 1971, as Scarpia, in "Tosca" (in a performance that was also James Levine's debut). He sang 85 performances with the company, including the 1978 production of Britten's "Billy Budd"; the last was in 1986. He gradually retired in the late 1980s, and taught in Devonshire. His memoirs, "The Story of a Yorkshire Baritone", were published in 2004. Glossop's legacy of studio recordings is small, but a number of live performances are in print.
Bio by: Bob Hufford
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