Tibbett, Lawrence, 1896-1960

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Born in Bakersfield, California (USA) on November 16, 1896, baritone Lawrence Tibbett began his career as an actor as well as a singer in performances of light operas and also in churches. Tibbett's teachers were Joseph Dupuy and Basil Ruysdael in Los Angeles and Frank La Forge and Ignaz Zitomirsky in New York. Tibbett's study in New York led to his Metropolitan Opera debut in the role of Lewicki in Boris Godunov in 1923. Following shortly after his Met debut he sang the role of Valentin in Faust. In 1925 Tibbett became an overnight sensation in the role of Ford in Falstaff, and he later assumed the title role. He eventually sang many leading Italian, French, German and American roles at the Met and remained a principal with the company for 27 seasons. He sang in the premières of Deems Taylor's The King's Henchman (1927) and Peter Ibbetson (1931), Louis Gruenberg's The Emperor Jones (1933), Howard Hanson's Merry Mount (1934) and John Laurence Seymour's In the Pasha's Garden (1935). The first Metropolitan Opera performances of Jonny spielt auf, Peter Grimes, Richard Hageman's Caponsacchi, as well as Simon Boccanegra and Khovanshchina also included Tibbett in the cast. His last appearance at the Met occurred in 1950 as Ivan in Khovanshchina. In 1936, along with violinist Jascha Heifetz, he founded the American Guild of Musical Artists, and served as its president for 17 years. Tibbett appeared in major opera houses around the U.S. and the world, including San Francisco, Chicago, Paris, London, Vienna and Prague, and at Covent Garden he created the title role in Eugene Goossens's Don Juan de Mañara (1937). In addition to performing on stage, Tibbett also sang frequently in radio performances during the early years of his career. Partly as a result of his striking good looks, as well as his dark, agile voice, Tibbett had significant success in film roles and light opera. He also appeared in Broadway stage productions, and his last Broadway role was in the musical comedy Fanny in 1956. His recordings for Victor sold in the millions. Among his best recordings are those of Verdi's Otello in which he sang the role of Iago and the live recording of his 1935 performance of La traviata at the Met with Rosa Ponselle. Tibbett died in New York, on July 15, 1960.

From the description of Lawrence Tibbett collection. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 694344869

Lawrence Mervil Tibbett (November 16, 1896 - July 15, 1960) was acknowledged as the greatest American opera singer in his days. Born Tibbet he alternately spelled his last name with two t's at the end, the spelling he approved on his first contract with the Metropolitan Opera. Lawrence Tibbett was born in Bakersfield, California, but was raised in Los Angeles where he first began vocal studies with Basil Ruysdael. By 1921, he was appearing as a concert singer and, in 1923, began coaching with Frank La Forge in New York City. Also in 1923, he auditioned for the Metropolitan Opera. His debut took pace on November 24, 1923 in the small role of Lovitsky in Boris Godunov . Lawrence Tibbett continued to gather experience and grow as an artist during the next few years singing such roles as Marullo ( Rigoletto ), Fleville ( Chenier ), Silvio Pagliacci, the Herald ( Lohengrin ) and Escamillo ( Carmen ). His career took a tremendous upward swing when he first performed Ford in Verdi's Falstaff on January 2, 1925, and was given a fifteen-minute ovation and front-page newspaper coverage the next day. During the next few years the smaller roles he had been concentrating on were replaced with major roles such as: Tonia ( Pagliacci ), Alfio ( Cavalleria ), Telramund ( Lohengrin ), Amonasro ( Aida ), the elder Germont ( Traviata ). His most often performed roles were Jonny ( Jonny Spielt Auf ), Jack Rance ( Fanciulla ), and in January of 1932 probably his most famous characterization, Simon Boccanegra. During the 1930s and 1940s, he continued to display his versatility as Falstaff, Iago ( Otello ), Balstrode ( Peter Grimes ) and the villains in Hoffmann . Tibbett was also instrumental in the world premieres in a number of operas including Taylor's The King's Henchmen (1927), Peter Ibbettson (1931), Gruenberg's Emperor Jones (1933), Hanson's Merry Mount (1934) and Seymour's In A Pasha's Garden (1935). The 1939 performance of Boccanegra is considered by historians to be one of the finest broadcasts given by the Metropolitan Opera and has been commercially released by the Metropolitan Opera Guild. All these performances show Tibbett's individual style and beautiful timbre, artistic probity and his ability to communicate with the subtlest inflections Although Tibbett based his career at the Metropolitan Opera, he made numerous operatic and concert appearances throughout the world as well as radio broadcasts and recitals. He was the first internationally known artist to appear in full-length motion pictures and was extremely successful in this medium: Rogue Song (MGM 1930), New Moon (MGM 1930), The Southerner/Prodigal Son (MGM 1931), Cuban Love Song (MGM 1931), Metropolitan (20th Century Fox, 1935), and Under Your Spell (MGM, 1936). He had a radio program on which he sang formal music; his sponsor was the Packard Motor Car Company. When the firm wanted to sell even less expensive cars, they had him add popular tunes to his repertoire. Lawrence Tibbett died in 1960 in New York City as the result of a fall in his apartment.

From the guide to the Lawrence Tibbett papers, 1916-1960, (The New York Public Library. Music Division.)

One of the most well-known American opera singers of his day, baritone Lawrence Mervil Tibbett (1896-1960) developed an international reputation through his many appearances with the Metropolitan Opera, numerous recordings, radio broadcasts, and featured film roles.

Born in Bakersfield, California, Tibbett (also spelled Tibbet) began vocal studies with Basil Ruysdael in Los Angeles. By 1921, he was appearing as a concert singer, but by 1923 he had moved to New York City, where Frank La Forge became his coach. Tibbett auditioned for the Metropolitan Opera in 1923 and made his debut on November 24th in the small role of Lovitsky in Boris Godunov. He made steady progress at the Met, but his career took a tremendous upward swing when he first performed Ford in Giuseppe Verdi's Falstaff on January 2, 1925. He was given a fifteen-minute ovation and front-page newspaper coverage the next day. During the next few years the smaller roles were replaced with major ones, including what probably became his most famous characterization, the title role in Verdi's Simon Boccanegra, in which he first appeared in 1932. In addition to succeeding in the established repertoire, Tibbett was involved in the premieres of several American operas, including Deems Taylor's The King's Henchmen (1927), Peter Ibbetson (1931), Louis Gruenberg's Emperor Jones (1933), Howard Hanson's Merry Mount (1934) and John Laurence Seymour's In the Pasha's Garden (1935). At the height of his popularity, Tibbett signed a movie contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and the studio created several vehicles around his talents, including Rogue Song (1930), New Moon (1930), The Southerner/Prodigal Son (1931), and Cuban Love Song (1931). He also had his own radio program, sponsored by the Packard Motor Car Company during the 1930s. In addition to his accomplishments as a performer, Tibbett also was the founding president of the American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA).

From the description of Lawrence Tibbett papers, 1916-1960. (New York Public Library). WorldCat record id: 80718851

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Automobile Club of Southern California,. Automobile Club of Southern California Collection of Photographs and Negatives, 1898-1982 (bulk 1920s-1930s) Huntington Library, Art Collections & Botanical Gardens
referencedIn Carter, Ernest Trow, 1866-1953. The Ernest Trow Carter papers, 1879-1974 (inclusive). Yale University, Music Library
referencedIn Let's go to the opera radio broadcast collection [sound recording] The New York Public Library. Rodgers and Hammerstein Archives of Recorded Sound.
referencedIn The Bell Telephone Hour collection of sound recordings [sound recording], 1940-1968 The New York Public Library. Rodgers and Hammerstein Archives of Recorded Sound.
creatorOf Henderson, Alice Corbin, 1881-1949. Papers, 1861-1987 (bulk 1920-1949). Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center
referencedIn Carter, Ernest Trow, 1866-1953. The Ernest Trow Carter papers, 1879-1974 (inclusive). Yale University, Music Library
creatorOf Guelph Spring Festival Archives. Photographs of RCA recording artists, ca., 1950 - ephemera. University of Guelph. McLaughlin Library
referencedIn Deems Taylor collection of broadcast recordings [sound recording], 1935-1954 The New York Public Library. Rodgers and Hammerstein Archives of Recorded Sound.
referencedIn Sloss, M. C. Sloss music collection, 1811-1947. Stanford University. Department of Special Collections and University Archives
referencedIn Robert Benney research materials, 1926-1978 The New York Public Library. Billy Rose Theatre Division.
creatorOf Tibbett, Lawrence, 1896-1960. Lawrence Tibbett collection. Stanford University. Department of Special Collections and University Archives
creatorOf Taylor, Deems, 1885-1966. [The King's henchman. Lo thou, I am sad. Vocal score] / Deems Taylor. New York Public Library System, NYPL
creatorOf Cooper, Betty Miller,. Betty Miller Cooper photograph collection, [1932-1986]. Museum of Performance & Design
creatorOf Hulbert, Archer Butler, 1873-1933. Outcasts of Poker Flat: holograph : outline for a play based on "The Outcasts of Poker Flat" by Bret Harte, [between 1930 and 1933]. UC Berkeley Libraries
referencedIn The Ernest Trow Carter Papers, 1879-1974 (inclusive) Irving S. Gilmore Music Library
referencedIn Alice Corbin Henderson Collection TXRC92-A24., 1861-1987 Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center
creatorOf Tibbett, Lawrence, 1896-1960. Correspondence with Marian Anderson, 1940-1955. University of Pennsylvania Libraries, Van Pelt Library
referencedIn Rosa Ponselle collection of performances, recorded interviews, and films, 1926-1987 The New York Public Library. Rodgers and Hammerstein Archives of Recorded Sound.
referencedIn American Guild of Musical Artists. American Guild of Musical Artists records, 1918-1993 (bulk 1935-1965). Churchill County Museum
referencedIn Ambassador Auditorium Collection, 1974-1995 Archive of Recorded Sound, Stanford University Libraries
creatorOf Tibbett, Lawrence, 1896-1960. Lawrence Tibbett papers, 1916-1960. New York Public Library System, NYPL
referencedIn E. Robert Schmitz Papers, 1909-1991 (inclusive) Irving S. Gilmore Music Library
referencedIn Jan Peerce collection of sound recordings, 1932-1983 The New York Public Library. Rodgers and Hammerstein Archives of Recorded Sound.
referencedIn Automobile Club of Southern California Collection of Photographs and Negatives, 1898-1982, bulk 1920s-1930s The Huntington Library
referencedIn Spalding, Albert, 1888-1953. Autograph letters signed (2) and typewritten letter signed, dated : New York, Jan. 28 1933 and 7 December 1935, and Great Barrington (Mass.), [n.d.], to Mrs. Melbert B. Cary, Jr., and to Mr. and Mrs. Cary, 1933 Jan. 28, 1935 Dec. 7, and n.d. Pierpont Morgan Library.
creatorOf Bodanya, Natalie. Let's go to the opera radio broadcast collection [sound recording] New York Public Library System, NYPL
referencedIn John Eldon Thayer collection of motion picture memorabilia, 1916-1979. Harvard Theater Collection, Houghton Library, Harvard College Library, Harvard University
creatorOf Bodanya, Natalie. Let's go to the opera [sound recording], 1946. New York Public Library System, NYPL
referencedIn Jascha Heifetz Collection, 1911-1972 Archive of Recorded Sound, Stanford University Libraries
referencedIn Musicians : photographs, ca. 1940. Stanford University. Department of Special Collections and University Archives
creatorOf Lawrence Tibbett papers, 1916-1960 The New York Public Library. Music Division.
referencedIn American Guild of Musical Artists. American Guild of Musical Artists minutes, [microform], 1936-1980. Churchill County Museum
referencedIn Paulson, Arvid. Papers, 1912-1974 (inclusive). 1940-1960 (bulk). Churchill County Museum
referencedIn American Guild of Musical Artists Records, Bulk, 1935-1965, 1918-1993, (Bulk 1935-1965) Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives
referencedIn Lawrence Tibbett Collection, 1929-1945 Archive of Recorded Sound, Stanford University Libraries
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith American Guild of Musical Artists. corporateBody
associatedWith American Music Collection corporateBody
associatedWith Automobile Club of Southern California, corporateBody
associatedWith Benney, Robert, 1904-2001 person
associatedWith Carter, Ernest Trow, 1866-1953. person
associatedWith Cooper, Betty Miller, person
associatedWith E. Robert Schmitz person
associatedWith Guelph Spring Festival Archives. corporateBody
associatedWith Henderson, Alice Corbin, 1881-1949 person
associatedWith Hulbert, Archer Butler, 1873-1933. person
associatedWith Let's Go to the Opera (Radio program). person
associatedWith Metropolitan Opera (New York, N.Y.) corporateBody
associatedWith Paulson, Arvid. person
associatedWith Peerce, Jan, 1904-1984 person
associatedWith Pfeiffer, John, 1920- person
associatedWith Ponselle, Rosa, 1897-1981 person
associatedWith Spalding, Albert, 1888-1953. person
associatedWith Taylor, Deems, 1885-1966. person
associatedWith Thayer, John Eldon, 1899-1980 person
associatedWith Tibbett, Richard M. person
Place Name Admin Code Country
United States
United States
Subject
Baritones (Singers)
Baritones (Singers)
Baritones (Singers)
Motion picture actors and actresses
Motion picture actors and actresses
Motion picture music
Popular music
Popular music
National songs
Operas
Opera
Opera
Radio program excerpts
Vocal duets with orchestra
Occupation
Baritones (Singers)
Motion picture actors and actresses
Performer
Activity

Person

Birth 1896-11-16

Death 1960-07-15

Americans

Information

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