Thomas Burke (tenor)

Thomas Burke, also known as Tom Burke, (2 March 1890 – 13 September 1969) was a British operatic tenor.

He was born in Leigh, Lancashire, and studied with Ernesto Colli and Fernando De Lucia in Milan after a short period at the Royal Academy of Music in London.[1] He debuted at Covent Garden as Rodolfo to Melba's Mimi when the opera house was re-opened after World War 1, and also sang the Duke of Mantua, Pinkerton, Cavaradossi and Count Almaviva in the same season. In 1920 he sang Rinuccio and Luigi in the first English performances of Gianni Schicchi and Il tabarro. He had a significant recording career which included popular song as well as opera arias.[2] His recording career began with English Columbia acoustics (14 sides) in 1920-21, and continued with Columbia electrics in 1927, and a long series for several other companies.[3]

He was the husband of actress Marie Burke and the father of actress Patricia Burke.[4]

References

  1. ↑ http://opera.archive.netcopy.co.uk/article/november-1969/74/obituary
  2. ↑ http://www.oocities.org/tom_burke_fan_club/career.html
  3. ↑ Discography by F S Winstanley in Record Collector, of Chelmsford, ISSN 0034-1568, Vol 35, 11&12, published in 1990
  4. ↑ John D. Vose The Lancashire Caruso: the Life and Times of Tom Burke (1982), reviewed by Paul Morby in Record Collector, Vol. 28, 3&4, 1983, and see also the short article by F.S (Joe) Winstanley in the same issue


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