Richard Wentworth (bass-baritone)
Encyclopedia
Richard Wentworth was an American opera
tic bass-baritone
and musical theatre
actor. In 1939 he joined Fortune Gallo
's San Carlo Opera Company
with which he portrayed some 89 roles through 1945. He made his Broadway
debut in 1942 at the Alvin Theatre as Dr. Bartolo in Once Over Lightly, an adaptation of Gioacchino Rossini
's The Barber of Seville
. He returned to Broadway in 1946 to portray The Butcher Boy in the short lived David Raksin
musical If the Shoe Fits. Wentworth also occasionally appeared in musicals on the American theatre circuit during the 1940s and 1950s.
In 1946 Wentworth was invited to become a member of the New York City Opera
by Laszlo Halasz
. He remained committed to the company through 1959 where he mainly portrayed basso buffo and comprimario
roles, although he occasionally got to appear in a leading part. While there he notably created roles in the world premieres of William Grant Still
's Troubled Island
(1949) and David Tamkin
's The Dybbuk
(1951). Wentworth also appeared as a guest artist with other opera companies in the United States and Canada during his career.
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...
tic bass-baritone
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 musical theatre
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
actor. In 1939 he joined Fortune Gallo
Fortune Gallo
Fortune Thomas Gallo was an Italian-born opera impresario. Gallo was owner and General Manager of the traveling San Carlo Opera Company from 1913 until its disbandment in the late 1950s.-Biography:...
's San Carlo Opera Company
San Carlo Opera Company
The San Carlo Opera Company was the name of two different opera companies active in the United States during the first half of the twentieth century.-History:...
with which he portrayed some 89 roles through 1945. He made his Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
debut in 1942 at the Alvin Theatre as Dr. Bartolo in Once Over Lightly, an adaptation of Gioacchino Rossini
Gioacchino Rossini
Gioachino Antonio Rossini was an Italian composer who wrote 39 operas as well as sacred music, chamber music, songs, and some instrumental and piano pieces...
's The Barber of Seville
The Barber of Seville
The Barber of Seville, or The Futile Precaution is an opera buffa in two acts by Gioachino Rossini with a libretto by Cesare Sterbini. The libretto was based on Pierre Beaumarchais's comedy Le Barbier de Séville , which was originally an opéra comique, or a mixture of spoken play with music...
. He returned to Broadway in 1946 to portray The Butcher Boy in the short lived David Raksin
David Raksin
David Raksin was an American composer born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. With over 100 film scores and 300 television scores to his credit, he became known as the "Grandfather of Film Music." One of his earliest film assignments was as assistant to Charlie Chaplin in the composition of the score...
musical If the Shoe Fits. Wentworth also occasionally appeared in musicals on the American theatre circuit during the 1940s and 1950s.
In 1946 Wentworth was invited to become a member of the New York City Opera
New York City Opera
The New York City Opera is an American opera company located in New York City.The company, called "the people's opera" by New York Mayor Fiorello La Guardia, was founded in 1943 with the aim of making opera financially accessible to a wide audience, producing an innovative choice of repertory, and...
by Laszlo Halasz
Laszlo Halasz
Laszlo Halasz was an American opera director, conductor, and pianist of Hungarian birth. In 1943 he was appointed the first director of the New York City Opera; a position he held through 1951...
. He remained committed to the company through 1959 where he mainly portrayed basso buffo and comprimario
Comprimario
A Comprimario is a supporting role in an opera. Derived from the Italian "con primario", or "with the primary", the term refers to a performer who sings small role pieces....
roles, although he occasionally got to appear in a leading part. While there he notably created roles in the world premieres of William Grant Still
William Grant Still
William Grant Still was an African-American classical composer who wrote more than 150 compositions. He was the first African American to conduct a major American symphony orchestra, the first to have a symphony performed by a leading orchestra, the first to have an opera performed by a major...
's Troubled Island
Troubled Island
Troubled Island is an American opera in three acts composed by William Grant Still , with a libretto begun by poet Langston Hughes and completed by Verna Arvey...
(1949) and David Tamkin
David Tamkin
David Tamkin was an American composer of Jewish descent. He devoted much of his professional career as an arranger, composer [uncredited] and orchestrator of film scores for Hollywood movies. He worked on more than 50 films between 1939 and 1970.-Biography:Tamkin was born in Chernihiv, Ukraine...
's The Dybbuk
The Dybbuk (opera)
The Dybbuk is an opera in three acts by composer David Tamkin. The work uses an English libretto by Alex Tamkin, the composer's brother, which is based on S. Ansky’s Yiddish play of the same name. Composed in 1933, the work was not premiered until October 4, 1951 when it was mounted by the New York...
(1951). Wentworth also appeared as a guest artist with other opera companies in the United States and Canada during his career.