Opera Singer. He was a bass who sang leading roles in Europe and the United States for 40 years. Raised in Derbyshire, he first learned to sing with his church choir, and in local Gilbert and Sullivan productions. He developed an interest in opera while a military policeman with the Royal Army stationed in Germany. Upon his return to England he worked briefly as a policeman and studied at the Birmingham School of Music. His professional debut was with the Sussex Opera in 1964. He sang in the chorus at the Glyndebourne Festival, and with Sadler's Wells...his solo debut came in 1966 as the Second Priest in "The Magic Flute" at Glyndebourne. Mr. Van Allan made his Covent Garden debut in 1971 as Mandarin in "Turandot". He was a regular at Covent Garden, the Welsh National Opera, and the Scottish Opera, singing the leading roles in the bass repertoire including Don Giovanni, Figaro, King Philip II, Baron Ochs, Mephistofeles, Don Basilio, and Boris Godunov. (Besides the title role in "Don Giovanni", he also appeared as the Don's comic valet Leporello, and sometimes even took the comprimario part of Masetto). Indeed, he was never afraid to be seen in smaller roles, and was a noted Angelotti, Grand Inquisitor, Dr. Grenvil, Zuniga, and Bonze. Mr. Van Allan made his Metropolitan Opera debut as Count des Grieux in "Manon" in 1987, and later appeared there in "Cosi Fan Tutti", "The Marriage of Figaro", and "The Tales of Hoffman". He sang with the Paris Opera, the Seattle Opera, and Teatro Colon. From 1986 until 2001, he was director of the National Opera Studio. He leaves a number of recordings.
Opera Singer. He was a bass who sang leading roles in Europe and the United States for 40 years. Raised in Derbyshire, he first learned to sing with his church choir, and in local Gilbert and Sullivan productions. He developed an interest in opera while a military policeman with the Royal Army stationed in Germany. Upon his return to England he worked briefly as a policeman and studied at the Birmingham School of Music. His professional debut was with the Sussex Opera in 1964. He sang in the chorus at the Glyndebourne Festival, and with Sadler's Wells...his solo debut came in 1966 as the Second Priest in "The Magic Flute" at Glyndebourne. Mr. Van Allan made his Covent Garden debut in 1971 as Mandarin in "Turandot". He was a regular at Covent Garden, the Welsh National Opera, and the Scottish Opera, singing the leading roles in the bass repertoire including Don Giovanni, Figaro, King Philip II, Baron Ochs, Mephistofeles, Don Basilio, and Boris Godunov. (Besides the title role in "Don Giovanni", he also appeared as the Don's comic valet Leporello, and sometimes even took the comprimario part of Masetto). Indeed, he was never afraid to be seen in smaller roles, and was a noted Angelotti, Grand Inquisitor, Dr. Grenvil, Zuniga, and Bonze. Mr. Van Allan made his Metropolitan Opera debut as Count des Grieux in "Manon" in 1987, and later appeared there in "Cosi Fan Tutti", "The Marriage of Figaro", and "The Tales of Hoffman". He sang with the Paris Opera, the Seattle Opera, and Teatro Colon. From 1986 until 2001, he was director of the National Opera Studio. He leaves a number of recordings.
Bio by: Bob Hufford
Advertisement
