"WHERE ARE THEY NOW?" ~ #32 ~ JONATHAN VICKERS

Next up in my; "Where Are They Now?" series is: Jonathan Stewart Vickers, (October 29, 1926 – July 10, 2015)

Known professionally as Jon Vickers, he was a Canadian heldentenor. Often referred to as, "God's Tenor", Vickers was born into the musical family of William, a teacher and school principal, and Myrle (née Mossop). Born in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, he was the sixth in a family of eight children.

As a youth he sang in his father's church, and his initial intention was to study medicine. He worked on a neighbour's farm and acquired the muscular stature that characterized him.

During a semi-professional production his leading lady made a recording of his voice and sent it to The Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. He auditioned there with Every Valley Shall be Exalted and was offered a scholarship. In 1950, he moved to Toronto to study opera at The Royal Conservatory of Music.

In 1953 he married Henrietta (Hetti) Outerbridge. They had five children. After her death in 1991, he married Judith Stewart.

In 1957 Vickers joined London’s Royal Opera House, Covent Garden company. In 1960 he joined the Metropolitan Opera.

He became world-famous for a wide range of German, French, and Italian roles. Vickers' huge, powerful voice and solid technique met the demands of many French, German, and Italian roles. He was also highly regarded for his powerful stage presence and thoughtful characterizations. (Conversely, he was sometimes criticized for "scooping"—beginning a note below pitch and then sliding up to the correct pitch—and for "crooning".)

In 1968 he was made a Companion of the Order of Canada. Vickers received the Governor General's Performing Arts Award for Lifetime Artistic Achievement, Canada's highest honour in the performing arts, in 1998.

Vickers further sang at the 'home' of Italian opera, Milan's La Scala, as well as in the major opera houses of Chicago, San Francisco, Vienna, and at the Salzburg Festival. He retired in 1988.

The Prairie connection comes in on a couple of levels. Jonathan's parents, William and Myrle joined the staff of Prairie College where William (or Bill as he was known then) was hoping to teach. Things did not go according to plan and he ended up working in the shipping department. Jonathan's sister, Marg, married Alf Bayne who became the founder and long time director of Camp Homewood with whom Prairie has had a long association.

Vickers died of Alzheimer's disease on July 10, 2015 in Ontario, Canada.

(Thanks to Wikipedia for the help on this)