Donald Bell
Encyclopedia
Donald Bell is a Canadian bass-baritone
and vocal pedagogue. For over four decades he actively performed in concerts and operas internationally. He retired from performance in 1994. As a vocal pedagogue he has researched and published studies on vocal acoustics and laryngeal function. He is the founder of the Vocal Arts Acoustical Research Group at the University of Calgary
where he currently serves on the voice faculty.
, Bell graduated from South Burnaby High School in 1952. He began his voice studies in his youth with conductor and educator Nancy Paisley Benn. While studying with Benn he made his professional debut in 1948 at the age of 14 as a soloist with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra
. He was then active as a recitalist and singer on CBC Radio
while a highschool student. After highschool, he continued to perform and study with Benn while working for a Vancouver plywood mill for one year.
In 1953 Bell entered the Royal College of Music
in London on a scholarship. Upon earning his artist dilploma from the RCM in 1955 he was awarded the Harriet Cohen Award and Arnold Bax Memorial Medal. He then continued his studied in Berlin with Hermann Weissenborn from 1955 to 1957. He later studied singing with Judith Boroschek in Düsseldorf from 1967 to 1976, and with Richard Miller
at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music
from 1985 to 1990.
Bell made his professional opera debut at the Glyndebourne Festival Opera
in 1955, which was followed by performances later that year at the Berlin State Opera
. From 1958 to 1961 he was heard annually at the Bayreuth Festival
as the Night Watchman in Richard Wagner
's Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg
. He appeared at the Berlin Festival in 1958 in Boris Blacher's Abstrakte Oper. In 1961 he portrayed Ford in Giuseppe Verdi
's Falstaff
in a CBC Television
production starring Louis Quilico
in the title role.
During the late 1950s and early 1960s Bell was frequently heard as a soloist in choral-orchestral works with major symphony orchestras. In 1958 he appeared with the Berlin Philharmonic in Johann Sebastian Bach
's St Matthew Passion. In 1959 he was a soloist in two different presentations of George Frideric Handel
's Messiah
: one in Lucerne with conductor Thomas Beecham
and the other in Berlin under the baton of Malcolm Sargent
. That same year he performed as a soloist with the Philadelphia Orchestra
under Eugene Ormandy
in concerts of Bach's Christmas Oratorio
at the Academy of Music
in Philadelphia and at Carnegie Hall
in New York City. He made his first appearance with the New York Philharmonic
singing in the inaugural concert of Lincoln Center's Philharmonic Hall
(now Avery Fisher Hall) on 28 September 1962 with Leonard Bernstein
conducting.
In 1961 Bell toured Israel and in 1963 he toured the USSR. He moved to Düsseldorf in 1964 where he worked for the next three years as a resident artist at the Deutsche Oper am Rhein
. At that opera house he sang such roles as Amfortas in Parsifal
, Count Almaviva in The Marriage of Figaro
, Kurwenal in Tristan und Isolde
, Méphistophélès in Faust
, Wolfram in Tannhäuser
, and the title role in Don Giovanni
among others. In 1973 he performed the role of Alfred in the British premiere of Gottfried von Einem
's Der Besuch der alten Dame
at the Glyndebourne Festival. The following year he sang the part of Catiline in the premiere of Iain Hamilton
's The Catiline Conspiracy at the Scottish Opera
.
Bell retired from performance in 1994. He joined the faculty of voice at music department of the University of Calgary
in 1982. He became a full professor at that institution in 1991.
Bass-baritone
A bass-baritone is a high-lying bass or low-lying "classical" baritone voice type which shares certain qualities with the true baritone voice. The term arose in the late 19th century to describe the particular type of voice required to sing three Wagnerian roles: the Dutchman in Der fliegende...
and vocal pedagogue. For over four decades he actively performed in concerts and operas internationally. He retired from performance in 1994. As a vocal pedagogue he has researched and published studies on vocal acoustics and laryngeal function. He is the founder of the Vocal Arts Acoustical Research Group at the University of Calgary
University of Calgary
The University of Calgary is a public research university located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1966 the U of C is composed of 14 faculties and more than 85 research institutes and centres.More than 25,000 undergraduate and 5,500 graduate students are currently...
where he currently serves on the voice faculty.
Life and career
Born in South Burnaby, British ColumbiaVancouver South—Burnaby
Vancouver South was a federal electoral district in British Columbia, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1997 to 2004.- Demographics :-History:...
, Bell graduated from South Burnaby High School in 1952. He began his voice studies in his youth with conductor and educator Nancy Paisley Benn. While studying with Benn he made his professional debut in 1948 at the age of 14 as a soloist with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra
Vancouver Symphony Orchestra
The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra is a Canadian orchestra performing in Vancouver, British Columbia. Over 240,000 people attend its live performances each year. It was founded in 1930 and plays in 12 venues. Its home is the Orpheum theatre. With an annual operating budget of $9.5 million, it is the...
. He was then active as a recitalist and singer on CBC Radio
CBC Radio
CBC Radio generally refers to the English-language radio operations of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. The CBC operates a number of radio networks serving different audiences and programming niches, all of which are outlined below.-English:CBC Radio operates three English language...
while a highschool student. After highschool, he continued to perform and study with Benn while working for a Vancouver plywood mill for one year.
In 1953 Bell entered the Royal College of Music
Royal College of Music
The Royal College of Music is a conservatoire founded by Royal Charter in 1882, located in South Kensington, London, England.-Background:The first director was Sir George Grove and he was followed by Sir Hubert Parry...
in London on a scholarship. Upon earning his artist dilploma from the RCM in 1955 he was awarded the Harriet Cohen Award and Arnold Bax Memorial Medal. He then continued his studied in Berlin with Hermann Weissenborn from 1955 to 1957. He later studied singing with Judith Boroschek in Düsseldorf from 1967 to 1976, and with Richard Miller
Richard Miller (singer)
Richard Miller was a professor of singing at Oberlin College Conservatory of Music and the author of numerous books on singing technique and vocal pedagogy....
at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music
Oberlin Conservatory of Music
The Oberlin Conservatory of Music, located on the campus of Oberlin College in Oberlin, Ohio, was founded in 1865 and is the oldest continuously operating conservatory in the United States. Students of Oberlin Conservatory enter a very broad network within the music world, as the school's alumni...
from 1985 to 1990.
Bell made his professional opera debut at the Glyndebourne Festival Opera
Glyndebourne Festival Opera
Glyndebourne Festival Opera is an English opera festival held at Glyndebourne, an English country house near Lewes, in East Sussex, England.-History:...
in 1955, which was followed by performances later that year at the Berlin State Opera
Berlin State Opera
The Staatsoper Unter den Linden is a German opera company. Its permanent home is the opera house on the Unter den Linden boulevard in the Mitte district of Berlin, which also hosts the Staatskapelle Berlin orchestra.-Early years:...
. From 1958 to 1961 he was heard annually at the Bayreuth Festival
Bayreuth Festival
The Bayreuth Festival is a music festival held annually in Bayreuth, Germany, at which performances of operas by the 19th century German composer Richard Wagner are presented...
as the Night Watchman in Richard Wagner
Richard Wagner
Wilhelm Richard Wagner was a German composer, conductor, theatre director, philosopher, music theorist, poet, essayist and writer primarily known for his operas...
's Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg
Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg
Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg is an opera in three acts, written and composed by Richard Wagner. It is among the longest operas still commonly performed today, usually taking around four and a half hours. It was first performed at the Königliches Hof- und National-Theater in Munich, on June 21,...
. He appeared at the Berlin Festival in 1958 in Boris Blacher's Abstrakte Oper. In 1961 he portrayed Ford in Giuseppe Verdi
Giuseppe Verdi
Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi was an Italian Romantic composer, mainly of opera. He was one of the most influential composers of the 19th century...
's Falstaff
Falstaff (opera)
Falstaff is an operatic commedia lirica in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi, adapted by Arrigo Boito from Shakespeare's plays The Merry Wives of Windsor and scenes from Henry IV. It was Verdi's last opera, written in the composer's ninth decade, and only the second of his 26 operas to be a comedy...
in a CBC Television
CBC Television
CBC Television is a Canadian television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster.Although the CBC is supported by public funding, the television network supplements this funding with commercial advertising revenue, in contrast to CBC Radio which are...
production starring Louis Quilico
Louis Quilico
Louis Quilico, CC was a Canadian opera singer. One of the leading dramatic baritones of his day, he was an ideal interpreter of the great Italian and French composers, especially Giuseppe Verdi. He was often referred to as "Mr Rigoletto" in reference to the Verdi opera...
in the title role.
During the late 1950s and early 1960s Bell was frequently heard as a soloist in choral-orchestral works with major symphony orchestras. In 1958 he appeared with the Berlin Philharmonic in Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity...
's St Matthew Passion. In 1959 he was a soloist in two different presentations of George Frideric Handel
George Frideric Handel
George Frideric Handel was a German-British Baroque composer, famous for his operas, oratorios, anthems and organ concertos. Handel was born in 1685, in a family indifferent to music...
's Messiah
Messiah (Handel)
Messiah is an English-language oratorio composed in 1741 by George Frideric Handel, with a scriptural text compiled by Charles Jennens from the King James Bible and the Book of Common Prayer. It was first performed in Dublin on 13 April 1742, and received its London premiere nearly a year later...
: one in Lucerne with conductor Thomas Beecham
Thomas Beecham
Sir Thomas Beecham, 2nd Baronet CH was an English conductor and impresario best known for his association with the London Philharmonic and the Royal Philharmonic orchestras. He was also closely associated with the Liverpool Philharmonic and Hallé orchestras...
and the other in Berlin under the baton of Malcolm Sargent
Malcolm Sargent
Sir Harold Malcolm Watts Sargent was an English conductor, organist and composer widely regarded as Britain's leading conductor of choral works...
. That same year he performed as a soloist with the Philadelphia Orchestra
Philadelphia Orchestra
The Philadelphia Orchestra is a symphony orchestra based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States. One of the "Big Five" American orchestras, it was founded in 1900...
under Eugene Ormandy
Eugene Ormandy
Eugene Ormandy was a Hungarian-born conductor and violinist.-Early life:Born Jenő Blau in Budapest, Hungary, Ormandy began studying violin at the Royal National Hungarian Academy of Music at the age of five...
in concerts of Bach's Christmas Oratorio
Christmas Oratorio
The Christmas Oratorio BWV 248, is an oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach intended for performance in church during the Christmas season. It was written for the Christmas season of 1734 incorporating music from earlier compositions, including three secular cantatas written during 1733 and 1734 and a...
at the Academy of Music
Academy of Music (Philadelphia)
The Academy of Music, also known as American Academy of Music, is a concert hall and opera house located at Broad and Locust Streets in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was built in 1857 and is the oldest opera house in the United States that is still used for its original purpose...
in Philadelphia and at Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
in New York City. He made his first appearance with the New York Philharmonic
New York Philharmonic
The New York Philharmonic is a symphony orchestra based in New York City in the United States. It is one of the American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five"...
singing in the inaugural concert of Lincoln Center's Philharmonic Hall
Avery Fisher Hall
Avery Fisher Hall is a concert hall, in New York City and is part of the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts complex. It is the home of the New York Philharmonic, with a capacity of 2,738 seats.-History:...
(now Avery Fisher Hall) on 28 September 1962 with Leonard Bernstein
Leonard Bernstein
Leonard Bernstein August 25, 1918 – October 14, 1990) was an American conductor, composer, author, music lecturer and pianist. He was among the first conductors born and educated in the United States of America to receive worldwide acclaim...
conducting.
In 1961 Bell toured Israel and in 1963 he toured the USSR. He moved to Düsseldorf in 1964 where he worked for the next three years as a resident artist at the Deutsche Oper am Rhein
Deutsche Oper am Rhein
The Deutsche Oper am Rhein is an opera company based in Düsseldorf and Duisburg. The opera also has an associated classical ballet company....
. At that opera house he sang such roles as Amfortas in Parsifal
Parsifal
Parsifal is an opera in three acts by Richard Wagner. It is loosely based on Wolfram von Eschenbach's Parzival, the 13th century epic poem of the Arthurian knight Parzival and his quest for the Holy Grail, and on Chrétien de Troyes' Perceval, the Story of the Grail.Wagner first conceived the work...
, Count Almaviva in The Marriage of Figaro
The Marriage of Figaro
Le nozze di Figaro, ossia la folle giornata , K. 492, is an opera buffa composed in 1786 in four acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, with Italian libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte, based on a stage comedy by Pierre Beaumarchais, La folle journée, ou le Mariage de Figaro .Although the play by...
, Kurwenal in Tristan und Isolde
Tristan und Isolde
Tristan und Isolde is an opera, or music drama, in three acts by Richard Wagner to a German libretto by the composer, based largely on the romance by Gottfried von Straßburg. It was composed between 1857 and 1859 and premiered in Munich on 10 June 1865 with Hans von Bülow conducting...
, Méphistophélès in Faust
Faust (opera)
Faust is a drame lyrique in five acts by Charles Gounod to a French libretto by Jules Barbier and Michel Carré from Carré's play Faust et Marguerite, in turn loosely based on Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's Faust, Part 1...
, Wolfram in Tannhäuser
Tannhäuser (opera)
Tannhäuser is an opera in three acts, music and text by Richard Wagner, based on the two German legends of Tannhäuser and the song contest at Wartburg...
, and the title role in Don Giovanni
Don Giovanni
Don Giovanni is an opera in two acts with music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and with an Italian libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte. It was premiered by the Prague Italian opera at the Teatro di Praga on October 29, 1787...
among others. In 1973 he performed the role of Alfred in the British premiere of Gottfried von Einem
Gottfried von Einem
Gottfried von Einem was an Austrian composer. He is known chiefly for his operas influenced by the music of Stravinsky and Prokofiev, as well as by jazz. He also composed pieces for piano, violin and organ.-Biography:...
's Der Besuch der alten Dame
Der Besuch der alten Dame
Der Besuch der alten Dame is an opera in three acts by Gottfried von Einem to a German libretto by Friedrich Dürrenmatt, based on his play of the same name.-Performance history:...
at the Glyndebourne Festival. The following year he sang the part of Catiline in the premiere of Iain Hamilton
Iain Hamilton
Iain Hamilton was a British journalist, author and poet. Between 1962-64 he was the editor of The Spectator and for five years he was Editorial Director of the Hutchinson group of publishing companies....
's The Catiline Conspiracy at the Scottish Opera
Scottish Opera
Scottish Opera is the national opera company of Scotland, and one of the five national performing arts companies funded by the Scottish Government...
.
Bell retired from performance in 1994. He joined the faculty of voice at music department of the University of Calgary
University of Calgary
The University of Calgary is a public research university located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1966 the U of C is composed of 14 faculties and more than 85 research institutes and centres.More than 25,000 undergraduate and 5,500 graduate students are currently...
in 1982. He became a full professor at that institution in 1991.