Eric Shilling
Encyclopedia
Eric Shilling was an English opera
singer and producer, long associated with English National Opera
. He was married to the soprano Erica Johns, and their son is George Shilling
.
, studying with Walter Hyde, and then at the Royal College of Music
under Clive Carey
.
During the Second World War, Shilling was a conscientious objector and worked for the rescue services, assisting victims at bomb sites.
Shilling made his debut as Marullo in Rigoletto
at Sadler's Wells Theatre
in 1945, and followed this with several years touring the UK and abroad with a small company ‘Intimate Opera’, also producing their piano-accompanied repertoire.
In 1959 he joined Sadler's Wells Opera
as a principal, singing many comic and dramatic roles, from Jupiter in Orpheus in the Underworld
, to Rostov in the British stage premiere of War and Peace
in 1972. He created roles in Our Man in Havana (title role, 1963), The Violins of St Jacques (1966), A Penny for a Song (1967), The Story of Vasco (1974) and Clarissa (1990). He appeared at the Proms in 1975 (Frank in Die Fledermaus
) and 1976 (Colonel Calverley in Patience
), and took part in the complete BBC broadcast of Havergal Brian
's The Tigers in 1983.
He appeared in a BBC studio recording of Offenbach's Un mari à la porte in 1971, and also in 1976 the musical Liza of Lambeth at the Shaftesbury Theatre
.
Grove noted Shilling's impeccable diction and mastery of stagecraft. Later in his career he taught at his alma mater, the Royal College of Music.
, La vie parisienne
, Orpheus in the Underworld
, Irmelin and Iolanthe
. He was the narrator in the Supraphon
recording of Peter and the Wolf
with the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra
conducted by Karel Ančerl
.
He also appeared in several Gilbert and Sullivan productions on radio and television.
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
singer and producer, long associated with English National Opera
English National Opera
English National Opera is an opera company based in London, resident at the London Coliseum in St. Martin's Lane. It is one of the two principal opera companies in London, along with the Royal Opera, Covent Garden...
. He was married to the soprano Erica Johns, and their son is George Shilling
George Shilling
George Shilling is a British musician, record producer, composer and audio engineer. He is the son of Eric Shilling, formerly of the English National Opera and actress Erica Johns...
.
Life and career
Shilling learnt about singing from his father, who sang music-hall songs at home. He began work in the oil business, but then decided that he wanted a singing career, and entered the Guildhall School of Music and DramaGuildhall School of Music and Drama
Guildhall School of Music and Drama is an independent music and dramatic arts school which was founded in 1880 in London, England. Students can pursue courses in Music, Opera, Drama and Technical Theatre Arts.-History:...
, studying with Walter Hyde, and then at 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...
under Clive Carey
Clive Carey
Francis Clive Savill Carey CBE , known as Clive Carey, was a British baritone, singing teacher, composer, opera producer and folk song collector.-Biography:Clive Carey was born at Sible Hedingham, Essex in 1883...
.
During the Second World War, Shilling was a conscientious objector and worked for the rescue services, assisting victims at bomb sites.
Shilling made his debut as Marullo in Rigoletto
Rigoletto
Rigoletto is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi. The Italian libretto was written by Francesco Maria Piave based on the play Le roi s'amuse by Victor Hugo. It was first performed at La Fenice in Venice on March 11, 1851...
at Sadler's Wells Theatre
Sadler's Wells Theatre
Sadler's Wells Theatre is a performing arts venue located in Rosebery Avenue, Clerkenwell in the London Borough of Islington. The present day theatre is the sixth on the site since 1683. It consists of two performance spaces: a 1,500 seat main auditorium and the Lilian Baylis Studio, with extensive...
in 1945, and followed this with several years touring the UK and abroad with a small company ‘Intimate Opera’, also producing their piano-accompanied repertoire.
In 1959 he joined Sadler's Wells Opera
English National Opera
English National Opera is an opera company based in London, resident at the London Coliseum in St. Martin's Lane. It is one of the two principal opera companies in London, along with the Royal Opera, Covent Garden...
as a principal, singing many comic and dramatic roles, from Jupiter in Orpheus in the Underworld
Orpheus in the Underworld
Orphée aux enfers is an opéra bouffon , or opéra féerie in its revised version, by Jacques Offenbach. The French text was written by Ludovic Halévy and later revised by Hector-Jonathan Crémieux....
, to Rostov in the British stage premiere of War and Peace
War and Peace (Prokofiev)
War and Peace is an opera in two parts , sometimes arranged as five acts, by Sergei Prokofiev to a Russian libretto by the composer and Mira Mendelson, based on the novel War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy...
in 1972. He created roles in Our Man in Havana (title role, 1963), The Violins of St Jacques (1966), A Penny for a Song (1967), The Story of Vasco (1974) and Clarissa (1990). He appeared at the Proms in 1975 (Frank in Die Fledermaus
Die Fledermaus
Die Fledermaus is an operetta composed by Johann Strauss II to a German libretto by Karl Haffner and Richard Genée.- Literary sources :...
) and 1976 (Colonel Calverley in Patience
Patience (opera)
Patience; or, Bunthorne's Bride, is a comic opera in two acts with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. First performed at the Opera Comique, London, on 23 April 1881, it moved to the 1,292-seat Savoy Theatre on 10 October 1881, where it was the first theatrical production in the...
), and took part in the complete BBC broadcast of Havergal Brian
Havergal Brian
Havergal Brian , was a British classical composer.Brian acquired a legendary status at the time of his rediscovery in the 1950s and 1960s for the many symphonies he had managed to write. By the end of his life he had completed 32, an unusually large number for any composer since Haydn or Mozart...
's The Tigers in 1983.
He appeared in a BBC studio recording of Offenbach's Un mari à la porte in 1971, and also in 1976 the musical Liza of Lambeth at the Shaftesbury Theatre
Shaftesbury Theatre
The Shaftesbury Theatre is a West End Theatre, located on Shaftesbury Avenue, in the London Borough of Camden.-History:The theatre was designed for the brothers Walter and Frederick Melville by Bertie Crewe and opened on 26 December 1911 with a production of The Three Musketeers, as the New...
.
Grove noted Shilling's impeccable diction and mastery of stagecraft. Later in his career he taught at his alma mater, the Royal College of Music.
Recordings and television
Shilling took part in recordings of Béatrice et BénédictBéatrice et Bénédict
Béatrice et Bénédict is an opera in two acts by Hector Berlioz. Berlioz wrote the French libretto himself, based closely on Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing....
, La vie parisienne
La vie parisienne
La vie parisienne is an opéra bouffe, or operetta, composed by Jacques Offenbach, with a libretto by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy.This work was Offenbach's first full-length piece to portray contemporary Parisian life, unlike his earlier period pieces and mythological subjects...
, Orpheus in the Underworld
Orpheus in the Underworld
Orphée aux enfers is an opéra bouffon , or opéra féerie in its revised version, by Jacques Offenbach. The French text was written by Ludovic Halévy and later revised by Hector-Jonathan Crémieux....
, Irmelin and Iolanthe
Iolanthe
Iolanthe; or, The Peer and the Peri is a comic opera with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. It is one of the Savoy operas and is the seventh collaboration of the fourteen between Gilbert and Sullivan....
. He was the narrator in the Supraphon
Supraphon
Supraphon Music Publishing is a Czech record label, it is oriented mainly towards publishing classical music, with an emphasis on Czech and Slovak composers.- History :...
recording of Peter and the Wolf
Peter and the Wolf
Peter and the Wolf , Op. 67, is a composition written by Sergei Prokofiev in 1936 in the USSR. It is a children's story , spoken by a narrator accompanied by the orchestra....
with the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra
Czech Philharmonic Orchestra
The Česká filharmonie is a symphony orchestra based in Prague and is the best-known and most respected orchestra in the Czech Republic.- History :...
conducted by Karel Ančerl
Karel Ancerl
Karel Ančerl , was a Czech conductor, known for his performances of contemporary music and for his interpretations of music by Czech composers...
.
He also appeared in several Gilbert and Sullivan productions on radio and television.