Philip Langridge

Philip Langridge (born Hawkshurst, Kent, 16 December 1939 – 5 March 2010) was a British tenor. He sang in many operas. He also sang in many concerts and recitals.

Life

Langridge studied the violin at the Royal Academy of Music from 1958. Two years later he started singing lessons with Bruce Boyce.

He gave his first concert in 1961, singing in Handel’s Messiah at Surbiton. He sang in the John Alldis Choir, and in the chorus at Glyndebourne Opera. Soon he was singing many solo roles in operas.

Langridge had a very good sense for drama as well as an excellent singing voice. He sang a wide variety of roles including parts in operas by Claudio Monteverdi, Mozart, Ravel, Stravinsky, Janáček, Schoenberg and, especially, Benjamin Britten. Later in life he sang just one role from a Wagner opera: the part of Loge in Das Rheingold.

Langridge was a fine concert singer. He often sang in the sacred music of Bach and Handel. He was well known for singing the title role in Elgar's oratorio, The Dream of Gerontius.

Benjamin Britten wrote much of his vocal music and main operatic roles for his friend Peter Pears. Langridge had the same sort of lyrical tenor voice as Pears, and he became famous for his singing of Britten’s music, e.g. the title role in Peter Grimes, Peter Quint in The Turn of the Screw, Captain Vere in Billy Budd and Aschenbach in Death in Venice.

Langridge sang in several operas by Harrison Birtwistle: he sang The Lawyer in the first recording of Punch and Judy (1989) and he sang the part of Kong in the first performances of The Second Mrs Kong at Glyndebourne in 1994.and Hiereus in The Minotaur at the (Royal Opera House in 2008). April 2008)

Langridge was made Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for his services to music in 1994. He was married twice. His second wife was the Irish mezzo-soprano Ann Murray.

Langridge died of cancer in 2010.

References

• Philip Langridge, Obituary, The Independent, 10 March 2010