Jon Vickers interview - 1969

From a 1969 interview with radio host John Amis and Canadian tenor Jon Vickers... They discuss his childhood, his breakthrough and subsequent career in music. Three weeks prior to the interview Vickers was named a Member of the Order of Canada.
Link to my Vickers playlist: • Jon Vickers (1926-2015)

[@operaticxingenue]

How is his speaking voice so gentle?? How is this the same voice that could basically burst ear drums??? I’m shook

[@zandor5657]

yes -its quite a mystery

[@elainehall2511]

I adored Jon. My husband, Ron Freeman was the wig and makeup master at the ROH and when Jon came to sing in London, he would come to our house for a homecooked meal. he was so down to earth but passionately believed in his art. He was marmite but I LOVED him, his conviction, his immersion into every role he tackled. A true artist.

[@patrickpowero.n.z.m2773]

I adored Ron! A great artist with faces and hair and a great calmer of nervous singers!

[@terrycreagh4103]

A life to be greatly respected.

[@cimbassovr]

STRAORDINARIO!!!FANTASTICO!!! Grazie di ❤👍per il filmato

[@theresearcher253]

Remember seeing him sing Handel's Samson at the ROH alongside many of the finest English basses of the day. His tenor voice had more depth than all of them.

[@jeffbetts9420]

First opera recording I ever bought and never bettered.

[@ingemayodon5128]

Merci, je ne connaissais pas ce chanteur, viens juste de l'entendre. Quelle voix superbe. Et il chantait Wagner, et avec brio en ce qui me concerne , mon compositeur préféré. Je regrette de l'avoir connu si tard, mais mieux vaut tard que jamais. Qu'il reste en paix.

[@secretofsinging]

Thank you for this posting. I am sad that he has died...a FABULOUS HELDEN TENOR !!! It is too bad that more singers don't speak out about the abuse of power in the opera world....(as in nearly ALL businesses). He was TRULY a GREAT ARTIST...and a great human being.

[@dannycore4550]

Really excellent and precious interview. I'm sure Jeannie Williams would have referred to it in her great book on Vickers had she had access to it; particularly the reference to singing in Italy.

[@BenEmberley]

My favourite Parsifal :)

[@jefolson6989]

He accent is different then it was a few years later. I think it MUCH like his singing voice. Listen to the laugh! Search for him in the Studs Terkel Archives for an in depth interview

[@cliffgaither]

_His speaking voice doesn't give any relationship to his singing voice !_

[@TimothyJonSarris]

Vickers, here, taking himself not too seriously.

[@7H7GRm8jm4QCnjuQ]

But what did Serafin say next???

[@Vivi16392]

Is the second part of the interview available?

[@herrbrucvald6376]

Andrea Chenier is a very great opera---just as there are great snobs in opera.

[@oliverkubiak6310]

Diese Lache... unnachahmlich