William Morton (tenor)
Encyclopedia
William Morton is a Canadian tenor
. opera director, and voice teacher. He first studied singing with Alicia Birkett in Regina, and later with Albert Whitehead and James Rosselino in Toronto. He made his professional singing debut in 1932 and made his first radio appearance in 1933 on CKCK
. He appeared regularly on CBC Radio
from the mid 1930s through the 1950s and was also one of the leading tenors of the CBC Opera Company during the 1940s. With the CBC he notably performed the title role in the Canadian premiere of Benjamin Britten
's Peter Grimes
in 1949. From 1942-1951 he was a member of the CBC vocal quartet the Four Gentlemen which were a main feature of the radio program 'Carry On Canada'.
In 1952 he relocated to Vancouver where he established the Vancouver Opera Theatre; serving as the company's conductor and director. He also taught singing privately in Vancouver for more than 20 years. Two of his notable students were Don McManus and Harry Mossfield.
Tenor
The tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2...
. opera director, and voice teacher. He first studied singing with Alicia Birkett in Regina, and later with Albert Whitehead and James Rosselino in Toronto. He made his professional singing debut in 1932 and made his first radio appearance in 1933 on CKCK
CKCK
CKCK may refer to:* CKCK-FM, a radio station licensed to Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada* CKCK-TV, a television station licensed to Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada...
. He appeared regularly on CBC Radio
CBC Radio
CBC Radio generally refers to the English-language radio operations of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. The CBC operates a number of radio networks serving different audiences and programming niches, all of which are outlined below.-English:CBC Radio operates three English language...
from the mid 1930s through the 1950s and was also one of the leading tenors of the CBC Opera Company during the 1940s. With the CBC he notably performed the title role in the Canadian premiere of Benjamin Britten
Benjamin Britten
Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten, OM CH was an English composer, conductor, and pianist. He showed talent from an early age, and first came to public attention with the a cappella choral work A Boy Was Born in 1934. With the premiere of his opera Peter Grimes in 1945, he leapt to...
's Peter Grimes
Peter Grimes
Peter Grimes is an opera by Benjamin Britten, with a libretto adapted by Montagu Slater from the Peter Grimes section of George Crabbe's poem The Borough...
in 1949. From 1942-1951 he was a member of the CBC vocal quartet the Four Gentlemen which were a main feature of the radio program 'Carry On Canada'.
In 1952 he relocated to Vancouver where he established the Vancouver Opera Theatre; serving as the company's conductor and director. He also taught singing privately in Vancouver for more than 20 years. Two of his notable students were Don McManus and Harry Mossfield.