He was the son of William Aleyn and his wife Elizabeth Compton, daughter of William Compton, and was educated at Oundle School. var _gaq = _gaq || []; Sir Thomas did not stay at home - his big trip to London earned him a place at the Royal College of Music, where he began studying in the 1964. In 2011, he also celebrated the thirtieth anniversary of his debut at the Metropolitan Opera, New York. 's://ssl':'://www')+'.google-analytics.com'+'/siteopt.js?v=1&utmxkey='+k+'&utmx='+(x?x:'')+'&utmxx='+(xx?xx:'')+'&utmxtime='+new Date().valueOf()+(h? Biography - Sir Thomas Allen - Britain's Favourite Baritone - Webs On 12 March 2014, the Royal College of Music was delighted to welcome Sir Thomas Allen for a masterclass in the Britten Theatre.In this masterclass baritone . On 7 August 1974, during his BBC Proms performance, Allen collapsed at the end of his second solo, tried to recover for his third but collapsed again and was taken from the stage (he was replaced by Patrick McCarthy). Full of twists and turns, it is treated with the youthful vigour it deserves in this Royal College of Music production directed by alumnus Sir Thomas Allen.Sir Thomas Allen is an established star of the great opera houses of the world and has sung over 50 roles at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden.Streamed on OperaVision on 1st January 2019 at 17:00 CET and for 3 months: http://bit.ly/TheMarriageofFigaroENSUBSCRIBE FOR MOREWEBSITEhttps://operavision.eu/FACEBOOKhttps://www.facebook.com/OperaVisionEU/TWITTERhttps://twitter.com/OperaVision_EUINSTAGRAM https://www.instagram.com/OperaVision.EU/ The performer who inspired the Billy Elliot story is going to be installed as the chancellor of Durham University. Husband of Mary Allen Lord Sir Thomas Alleyne (1430 - 1483) - Genealogy And as chancellor, Sir Thomas said he wanted to encourage the links across different fields, such as science and the arts. In late 2013, he directed Don Giovanni at Scottish Opera and in January 2014 made his debut with Canadian Opera as Don Alfonso. Sir Thomas Allen is one of the most renowned lyric baritones of his generation. Born in Seaham Harbour, County Durham, his singing talent was first discovered when he was a grammar school boy in the 1960s - with encouragement from his physics teacher. Memoir: 1993 Foreign Parts. Thomas Allen (Cavalier) - Wikipedia [13], He is a supporter of Sunderland A.F.C. '&utmxhash='+escape(h.substr(1)):'')+'" type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8">')})(); He lived in London and sold the lands at Outwell to provide dowries for his daughters. Thomas Allen (baritone) - Wikipedia "Like it or not, the 11-plus was a passport for many of us, otherwise I don't know what the future would have been. Please check if you entered the email address correctly. 'Real Billy Elliot' is made university chancellor - BBC News His Chicago debut was Rossini's Figaro in The Barber of Seville in 1989.[6]. Offices Held Governor, Barnet g.s. Thomas Allen is a member of the following lists: Grammy Award winners, Knights Commander of the Order of the British Empire and Commanders of the Order of the British Empire. Sir Thomas Boaz Allen CBE FRCM (born 10 September 1944) is an English operatic baritone. Sir Rod Stewart's wife Penny Lancaster enjoys a shopping spree He has also been the recipient of numerous honorary degrees and academic posts, including an MA from the University of Newcastle, D.Mus. Thomas Fitzalan, 5th Earl of Arundel - Wikipedia Immediate Family: Son of Edward Allen and Elizabeth Allen. Sir Thomas Allen is an established star of the great opera houses of the world. (function() { Sir Thomas Osborne listed him in 1669 among the Members who might be engaged for the Court by the Duke of York and his friends. He died on 18 Aug. 1681, and was buried at Finchley. _gaq.push(['gwo._setDomainName', 'none']); Husband of Susan Fitzalan and Mary Allin Help us build our profile of Thomas Allen! Allen, Thomas, Foreign Parts: A Singer's Journal (London: Sinclair-Stevenson, 1993), Loppert, Max, "People: 117 - Thomas Allen" in Opera, July 1978 (London, 1978), Wroe, Nicholas, "Cutting it at the opera" (The Guardian, 6th December 2003), var _gaq = _gaq || []; Mozarts rip-roaring comedy is a marvel of musical theatre and a must-see show. Son of Edward Allen and Elizabeth Allen The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure. Career: 1969-72 Welsh National Opera; '72-78 Covent Garden company; '78- freelance singer. Sir Thomas Boaz Allen CBE FRCM (born 10 September 1944) is an English operatic baritone. King James said of the negative confession in Scotland, proposed in his time, that it would be as long as the Bible. Thomas Alleyne (c.1460 - 1523) - Genealogy At the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, where this year he celebrated the 40th anniversary of his debut with the company, he has sung over fifty roles. [10] His first concert with the university took place in Durham Cathedral on 1 June 2013, appearing alongside over 100 student performers. In the 2009/10 opera season, he appeared in operas in America, Germany and the United Kingdom; as Faninal in Der Rosenkavalier, Don Alfonso in Cos fan tutte, Prosdocimo in Il turco in Italia and Gianni Schicchi at Covent Garden. Mozart's rip-roaring comedy is a marvel of musical theatre and a must-see show. By Dejan Vukosavljevic (Credit: Deutsche Oper am Rhein official website) The Durham University has announced that the famed baritone Sir Thomas Allen will step down from his post after more than ten years in the role. He or his father was originally from Northamptonshire, but acquired or held lands at Outwell (Norfolk). He was appointed to the committees for the continuation of the Conventicles Act in 1670, and for the test bill, and acted as teller for the unsuccessful motion of 10 Mar. His solo Glyndebourne Festival debut was as Papageno in 1973. _gaq.push(['_setDomainName', 'none']); His journey has now come full circle - becoming the ceremonial head of the institution that put him on the path to his career in singing. Lineage [ edit] He was the only surviving son of 4th earl of the second creation and his first wife, Elizabeth de Bohun. All rights reserved. He was successful for Middlesex in 1661. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. 2021 also marks the 40th anniversary of his debut at the Metropolitan Opera, New York, as Papageno (Mozart The Magic Flute).He is particularly known for his Billy Budd (Britten Billy Budd), Pellas . His early roles with the WNO also included Mozart's Almaviva, Guglielmo and Papageno, Rossini's Figaro, Falke in Die Fledermaus, Billy Budd, Posa, Eugene Onegin and Germont. We've become more insular - but I'd much rather deal with fully rounded people," he said. His poem A Wife (also referred to as The Wife), . Interview: Sir Thomas Allen - Performing different roles at - YouTube Madama Butterfly over here is a far superior piece with a great, great story, the most wonderful music and the best people singing it. His sister Edith married another classicist John Percival Postgate, who was her tutor at Girton College, Cambridge. His singing talents were observed early on by his physics master (and fellow baritone) at Ryhope Grammar School, Denis Weatherley, who became the young baritone's first tutor, giving lessons during lunch breaks. Would love your thoughts, please comment. and London, July 1660; j.p. Mdx. "His achievements as an artist, in education, and as a dedicated supporter . Brother of Alicia or Alice Aleyne; Sir John Alleyne; George Alleyne, of Chartley Manor; Roger Allen; Richard Alleyne, of Chartley Manor and 1 other; and John Allen less. The author of A Seasonable Argument remarked that Sir Thomas Allen, whose understanding is as great as his honesty, a close embracer of rogues, had a boon of 1,000. In 2006, he made his American directorial debut with a production of Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro for Arizona Opera. "There was a man - and there were others like him - who had the most glorious voice, who could have made an international career. According to our records, Thomas Allen is possibly single. (3 d.v.p.) Known for his commanding stage presence as well as outstanding vocal and acting prowess on the operatic stage, he has mesmerised audiences from across the world for over forty years since his operatic debut in 1969. FRANCISCO SALAZAR, (Publisher) worked as a reporter for Latin Post where he has had the privilege of interviewing numerous opera stars including Anita Rachvelishvili and Ailyn Perez. The WNO proved to be a training ground in developing his skills in characterisation - offering him the opportunity to try his hand at many baritone parts, many of which would become some of his most acclaimed roles such as Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin, Mozart's Count Almaviva, Guglielmo, Papageno, Strauss II's Falke, Verdi's Posa and Germont as well as Britten's Billy Budd. lt. c. Aug. 1660-d.; commr. Singer Sir Thomas Allen whose life inspired Billy Elliot steps - ITVX Thomas Allen answers the Gramilano Questionnaire Singers' Edition He has toured overseas with the Royal Opera several times, singing the roles of Papageno and Ned Keene on their tour to Japan and South Korea in 1979 and Don Giovanni and Count Almaviva in Japan in 1992. charity Foundation of Light event.[15]. Allen Thomas (December 14, 1830 - December 3, 1907) was a Confederate States Army brigadier general during the American Civil War (Civil War). He then represented Bridge Without until . Sir Thomas Allen is one of the most renowned lyric baritones of his generation. On March 16,2019, Sir Thomas Allen gave his final performance at the Royal Opera House. ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? [12], In 2015, he sang the rle of Baron Zeta in the Metropolitan Opera's production of Franz Lehr's operetta The Merry Widow, which he reprised at the Met in 2017. suc. The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure. Thomas Allen and Margaret Holley had a relationship from 1968 to 1968. Connect any celebrity with Thomas Allen to see how closely they are linked romantically! 1619-23, BA 1622, MA 1626. m. 1627, Mary (bur. He was taken up by WNO, broke through with his Barber of Seville, became renowned for his Don Giovanni and is now playing Sweeney Todd in a production he hopes will encourage new audiences, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, 2023 Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. J. ALLEN. Login Biography. Sir Thomas Allen | The Water of Tyne | Peaceful Moments _gaq.push(['_setAllowHash', false]); After the war, he was a planter, Presidential elector in 1872 and 1880, professor of . Allen was born on 9 May 1862 at 103 Camden Road Villas, Camden Town, London, the eldest child of Thomas Bull Allen, a wholesale tea dealer, and his wife Amelia Le Lacheur, daughter of William Le Lacheur. Help keep Thomas Allen profile up to date. Mining or heavy industry and that was about as far as we could see," he said. The other man who inspired him as a youth was a great singer who worked in the pits - a man who had lost a leg in World War I. Details about Allen's upbringing are lacking, but . Revealed: How Sir Thomas the exes axeman lost his wife to a guitar Born: September 10, 1944, Seaham Harbour, Co. Durham. Most populous nation: Should India rejoice or panic? 30.2K subscribers This week's Peaceful Moment is the tradition folk song 'The Water of Tyne', performed by Sir Thomas Allen. 1675. "I went to see it and for the life of me I couldn't see why it was so popular. In his final term he made his operatic stage debut as the baritone lead in the Royal College of Music Opera School production of Arthur Benjamin's opera Prima Donna. Biography Allen came from an old London family, armigerous since 1459. [3] He was succeeded in the baronetcy by his son Thomas[1] (16481730), who married Elizabeth Angell but had no children. 1. Thomas Allen was previously married to Jeannie Lascelles (1988) and Margaret Holley (1968). More recently, Allen has performed Eisenstein in Die Fledermaus, Don Alfonso, Ulisse and Don Giovanni at the Bayerische Staatsoper, Don Giovanni at La Scala, Yeletsky (in The Queen of Spades), Sharpless (in Madama Butterfly), and the title role in Sweeney Todd at the Royal Opera House, Eisenstein at the Glyndebourne Festival, Don Alfonso at the Salzburg Easter and Summer Festivals, Forester (The Cunning Little Vixen) at the San Francisco Opera and Beckmesser (in Die Meistersinger von Nrnberg) at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. 1626; kntd. A large extent of his repertoire has been recorded on both video and sound recordings and he has worked with many of the world's famous conductors, including Sir Neville Marriner, Simon Rattle, Sir Charles Mackerras, Riccardo Muti, Sir Georg Solti, Andr Previn and Bernard Haitink. In 1663 he helped to consider defects in the Act of Uniformity and the Corporations Act, as well as a petition from the loyal and indigent officers. var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; Early life and education. Cutting it at the opera | Classical music | The Guardian Thomas Allen was born on 10 September 1944 in County Durham, England, UK. Honours: 1984 Hon MA, Newcastle; '88 Hon DMus, Durham; '88 Fellow Royal College of Music; '89 CBE; '99 knighthood. Wayne, January, 1882. Under Lockhart, Allen then shifted his attention from Lieder and oratorio to opera and in 1969, he made his debut as D'Obigny in Verdi's La traviata with the Welsh National Opera (WNO). Thomas Allen. Son of Lord Sir Thomas Alleyne "the Elder," of Outwell and Margaret Alleyne "The Chancellor is the Head of the University and the role includes ceremonial, pastoral, scholarly, and ambassadorial duties. In the autumn he was among those ordered to report on dangerous and seditious books. The 25th anniversary of his debut at the Metropolitan Opera was celebrated in 2006. of Edward Allen, Fishmonger, of Bread Street, London by Elizabeth, da. from Durham University and University of Birmingham, Fellowships from the Royal Academy of Music and the Royal College of Music while also being Prince Consort Professor of Opera for the latter. The same year he also celebrated the 30th anniversary of his debut at the Metropolitan Opera, New York. He was appointed to the committees to investigate the sale of Dunkirk, to consider the charges against Mordaunt, and to bring in a public accounts bill. In 1999, he was knighted. His zodiac sign is Virgo More about Thomas Allen edit Dating History # 2 Jeannie Lascelles 1 2 1988 In September 2008, he performed under the direction of Woody Allen in Puccini's Gianni Schicchi for the Los Angeles Opera as well as at the Spoleto Festival in June 2009. Sir Thomas Allen is an established star of the great opera houses of the world. He is an actor, known for Great Performances (1971), Mrs. Henderson Presents (2005) and Drunken Butterflies (2014). Explore in 3D: The dazzling crown that makes a king. Sir Thomas Allen, 1st Baronet (c. 1633 15 December 1690)[1] also spelt Aleyn or Alleyn, was an English politician and grocer. Sir Thomas Allen directs Mozart The Marriage of Figaro Sir Thomas Allen - Askonas Holt "I feel hugely humble to be chancellor of Durham University and yet I have immense pride," he said. He had a grant of arms. of Sir John Weld, merchant, of Old Jewry, London and Arnolds, Edmonton, Mdx., 6s. photos, Thomas Allen - Biography - MacTutor History of Mathematics Thomas William Allen - Wikipedia Connect to the World Family Tree to find out, St Clements, Outwell, Norfolk, England (United Kingdom), Buckinghamshire, England (United Kingdom), Outwell, Norfolk, England (United Kingdom), St Martins, Ludgate, London, Middlesex (now Greater London), England (United Kingdom), Saint Martin's Ludgate Cathedral, Ludgate, London, Middlesex (now Greater London), England (United Kingdom), Lord Sir Thomas Alleyne "the Elder," of Outwell. Thomas Allen was an English mathematician and antiquary important for his large collection of mathematical (and other) manuscripts. _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); Did this woman die because her genitals were cut? Father of Maria Allen; Thomas Allen and Edward Allen. [4] He made his Metropolitan Opera debut in 1981 as Papageno. Allen's first book, Foreign Parts A Singer's Journal was published in 1993. Father of Richard Allen, of Outwell; George Allen and William Alleyn Find out more - http://www.roh.org.uk/whatson/production.aspx?pi. In 1973, he made his solo Glyndebourne debut as Papageno and returned as Mozart's Figaro (1974), Guglielmo (1975) and in his role debut in his signature role, Don Giovanni in Sir Peter Hall's 1977 acclaimed production. Opera star Sir Thomas Allen is to take his final bow as chancellor of Durham University. Video, The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure, Explosion derails train in Russian border region, Banana artwork in Seoul museum eaten by visitor, NFL player's daughter, aged two, drowns in pool, Indian 'killer' elephant relocated to tiger reserve, Ding becomes China's first male world chess champion, Donald Trump arrives in Scotland on golf visit. He left Covent Garden to become a freelance singer in 1979 although he still remains a guest artist with the company. Sir Thomas Allen, 1st Baronet - Wikiwand Knights Commander of the Order of the British Empire, Commanders of the Order of the British Empire. 2023 BBC. Dancing with the Khan-MacKay family, Interview with tenor Lawrence Brownlee on being a black man in America: Cycles of My Being, Interview: The Royal Ballets Ballet Master, Christopher Carr, on mounting Copplia, the companys dancers and technique, [Interview] Michael Spyres and Lawrence Brownlee on their new Rossini album, In conversation with Jakub Jzef Orliski, Introducing 19-year-old Canadian dancer Shale Wagman: from Lausanne to ENB to the Mariinsky. The first of his family to give up trade, he lived as a gentleman at Finchley, later leasing a house in Westminster from the dean and chapter. He was noted as the first British baritone in opera history to play Pellas in Debussy's Pellas et Mlisande in 1978 at Covent Garden, a role for which he was greatly praised. 11 Feb. 1664), da. A very active Member of the Cavalier Parliament, he was appointed to 575 committees, including the elections committee in 11 sessions, acted as teller on 18 occasions, and made two recorded speeches. and more from FamousFix.com, Nozze di Figaro - Die Hochzeit des Figaro, Le, Count Almaviva, Don Alfonso, Sixtus Beckmesser, Mozart's Cos fan tutte, ossia La scuola degli amanti, Guglielmo, An Officer in love with Fiordiligi. fa. Sir Thomas Allen is a supporter and patron of many non-profit music-related foundations, choirs and charities, such as Music in Hospitals, the Samling Foundation, the Oxford Lieder Festival, the Kathleen Ferrier Awards as well as being President of British Youth Opera. Father of Alicia or Alice Aleyne; Sir John Alleyne; George Alleyne, of Chartley Manor; Thomas Alleyne "the Younger"; Roger Allen and 2 others. Encouraged by his father who also enjoyed music, he took up playing the organ in his early teens and sang in the local church choir as a chorister. Allen estimates he's sung the role at least. In October 2011, he was appointed Chancellor of Durham University, succeeding Bill Bryson. He has since directed highly acclaimed productions of Don Giovanni and Cos fan tutte at the Sage (for the Samling Foundation of which he is patron), Il barbiere di Siviglia with Scottish Opera in 2007 as well as Le nozze di Figaro with Arizona Opera in 2006. Sir Thomas Allen Says Goodbye To The Royal Opera House Browse 1,812 elizabeth allen photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more photos and images. It was all very recognisable," said Sir Thomas. (function(){var k='2354831680',d=document,l=d.location,c=d.cookie;function f(n){if(c){var i=c.indexOf(n+'=');if(i>-1){var j=c.indexOf(';',i);return escape(c.substring(i+n.length+1,j<0?c.length:j))}}}var x=f('__utmx'),xx=f('__utmxx'),h=l.hash; Who is Thomas Allen dating? Thomas Allen girlfriend, wife Allen has now performed at Covent Garden for over 35 years, recently having played in total 50 roles with the company, with Faninal from Richard Strauss' Der Rosenkavalier marking his 50th role in December 2009. Getting to grips with Don Giovanni - 'It's a monster of a role' In September 2008, he sang the title role in Woody Allen's acclaimed LA Opera production of Puccini's Gianni Schicchi. GEORGE ALLEN. _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-230305-2']); Death of Thomas Alleyne "the Younger" at S London, Middlesex (now Greater London), England. Baritone Sir Thomas Allen to Step Down as Chancellor of Durham He has directed a new production of The Marriage of Figaro for the company which premiered in Glasgow in October 2010. The Royal Opera House announced via social media that the famed baritone gave his final performance with the house in Cos Fan Tutte. In a social media message, the company said, Sir Thomas Allen coming off stage after last nights performance of Cos fan tutte his last with The Royal Opera. In 1643 he was assessed at 1,000 by the committee for the advance of money, and his household goods were distrained for non-payment. RCM Vocal Masterclass with Sir Thomas Allen: Vaughan Williams - YouTube [4] Allen was knighted on the king's visit[3] and two weeks later, on 14 June, he was created a baronet, of London, in the County of Middlesex. On 7th January 2014, it was officially announced that he is to be awarded the Queen's Medal for Music for 2013. He has also taken up his hand at directing, making his directorial debut at the Royal College of Music with a production of Britten's Albert Herring in 2002. He was previously married to Margaret Holley. They acted as tellers against committing a bill for regulating building and hackney coaches and supplying defects in the London and Westminster Highways Act on 7 May; against further relief for the City in the assessment on 14 Jan. 1665; and for the proviso, tendered on behalf of Middlesex and Westminster, for the equal assessment of buildings and offices on 31 Jan. Thomas Fitzalan, 5th Earl of Arundel, 10th Earl of Surrey KG (13 October 1381 - 13 October 1415) was an English nobleman, one of the principals of the deposition of Richard II, and a major figure during the reign of Henry IV . Thomas Allen and Jeannie Lascelles were in a Thomas Allen and Margaret Holley were in a re See He was appointed to the committee for the conventicles bill in 1664; but most of his energy at this time must have been spent in conjunction with his colleague (Sir) Lancelot Lake in defending the interests of rural Middlesex against the metropolis. He has sung over fifty roles at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden; this year he celebrates his 50th anniversary of his debut with the company. Seat prices are going to be a part of that, but so is our determination and ability to continue putting on great work. Two men from a very different era and with different stories helped to shape his earliest singing career. Please enable JavaScript in your browser's settings to use this part of Geni. G. Inn 1618-26; St. Johns, Oxf. Among the roles he sang with the company included Count Almaviva in Le nozze di Figaro, Don Giovanni, Papageno in Die Zauberflte, Figaro in Il barbiere di Siviglia, Belcore in Lelisir damore, and Posa in Don Carlo., He also sang the role of Ford in Falstaff, Wolfram von Eschinbachin Tannhuser, Eugene Onegin, Pellas, Balstrode in Peter Grimes, Billy Budd, Sweeney Todd, Prosdocimo n Il turco in Italia, and created the role of Roc in The Exterminating Angel.. Who is Thomas Allen dating? And OperaWire came about as a desire to take in as much of it and allow the passionate fan base access to everything this wondrous art form has to offer on a daily basis. He officially took the oath of office on 26th June 2012. Family and Education bap. Father of Maria Allen; Thomas Allen and Edward Allen. Death: 1483 (52-53) Norfolk, England (United Kingdom) Immediate Family: Son of John Alleyne, of Outwell and Agnes NN. Read about our approach to external linking. Also in 2012, he sang Don Alfonso with the Bayerische Staatsoper on their tour to Hong Kong in February and made his debut at Moscow's Bolshoi Theatre as Faninal in April. Allen's initial ambition was to be a doctor but this was later abandoned when he won a place at the Royal College of Music in 1964, where he studied with Hervey Alan for four years, specialising in oratorio and Lieder until 1968.[2]. (function() { RCM Vocal Masterclass with Sir Thomas Allen: Schumann - YouTube He was again in the minority in opposing the second reading of the place bill introduced by (Sir) William Coventry on 22 Apr. VideoThe secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure, LGBT troops take love for Eurovision to front line, Why an Indian comedian is challenging fake news rules. of William Bennett, Fishmonger, of London. But his school did not know how to help this boy with an unusual gift. [3], He returned as Figaro in Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro (1974), Guglielmo (1975) and Don Giovanni (1977) and it was during this time that he was hailed by one music critic as the finest English baritone since Sir Charles Santley. Please enable JavaScript in your browser's settings to use this part of Geni. In 1989, he was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). He is also a frequent recitalist in the United Kingdom, Europe, America, Australia and occasionally in Asia. Is climate change killing Australian wine? On March 16, 2019, Sir Thomas Allen gave his final performance at the Royal Opera House. Sir Thomas Boaz Allen CBE FRCM (born 10 September 1944) is an English operatic baritone. During the same year, he took part in the annual BBC Proms, singing songs from numerous MGM musicals such as Gigi, Kismet and On the Town at the Royal Albert Hall, London. It was during his time at school that his singing voice was first observed by the then Physics master, Denis Weatherley, himself a well-known baritone in the county and especially renowned for Northumberland songs. Upon graduating from the RCM, he spent a summer as part of the Glyndebourne Festival Opera chorus then started his professional operatic career by accepting Lockhart's offer.