Proof draft copy of 'An Exotick and Irrational Entertainment' by Murray Dickie

• Reference:GB 237 Coll-1696
• Dates of Creation:fl. 1945-1980
• Name of Creator:
  Dickie, Murray ( tenor opera singer, director, recording artist)
• Language of Material:English
• Physical Description:
  1 folder

• Scope and Content

  Proof draft of the unpublished memoirs of Murray Dickie. With penciicl editorial notes to the first page of Chapter 1 by Gritta Weil, long-time an editorial secretary at the Observer.

  Title-page and 211pp, A4, printed on verso, with a covering page titled 'Copy'.

  This unpublished memoir recounts a career noting especially relationships with Sir Thomas Beecham, Furtwangler and Von Karajan, as well as giving character sketches of other leading opear singers.

• Administrative / Biographical History

  The Scottish tenor opera singer, director, and recording artist Murray Dickie was born in Bishopton, Glasgow, on 3 April 1924. He had his first vocal training in Glasgow, and studied in Vienna, London, and Milan. He at first worked for the BBC as an 'effects boy' and went on to become a production assistant.

  His debut was at the Cambridge Theatre in London in January 1947 as part of the New London Opera Company, but he joined the new resident company at Covent Garden when it was first formed after the War. He was there from 1948 to 1952. In 1952 he sang at La Scala, and he also sang in Berlin, Munich, and Vienna. He made debuts in 1950 in Barcelona and in 1951 in Rome, and at the Vienna State Opera. He appeared in the Glyndebourne Festival of 1950, and that year too he sang at the Edinburgh Festival with the Glyndebourne. He took part in the 1952 Paris Festival of Twentieth Century Music, and sang (1952 and 1953) with the Bayerische Staatsoper.

  A light tenor and with a gift for comedy, he specialised in roles such as 'Pedrillo' in Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail, 'Jaquino' in Fidelio, and the 'Dancing master' and 'Brighella' in Ariadne auf Naxos. He also sang heavier roles like 'Tamino' in Der Zauberflote, but his finest role of all was 'David' in Die Meistersinger a part he sang in London, Vienna, Milan and New York.

  In 1976, he translated and directed A Night in Venice for English National Opera at the London Coliseum. A year earlier, in 1975, he was awarded the Austrian Cross of Honour for Science and Art, 1st class.

  Murray Dickie was married to the singer Maureen Springer, also a member of the Vienna company and who often joined him in concert. They had four sons - the eldest, John Dickie, was a member of the Vienna company too.

  Murray Dickie died in Cape Town, South Africa, on 19 June 1995.

• Access Information

  Access should be unrestricted but please check in advance of any consultation.

• Acquisition Information

  Acquired November 2015. Accession no: E2015.90.

• Archivist's Note

  Catalogued by Graeme D. Eddie 9 December 2015