Celebrated Welsh tenor dies, 80
RIPThe death has been reported of Ryland Davies, a busy tenor who was selected by Georg Solti at Covent Garden and went on to perform internationally, making many records.
In recent years he taught at the Royal Academy of Music.
He was married early on for 15 years to the outstanding mezzo Anne Howells, who died last year.
Linda Kitchen writes: I want to join the many singers who are deeply saddened by the death of Ryland Davies. In my time teaching alongside him and Dennis O’Neill at WIAV, I saw the other side of the beautiful singer we all knew him to be. Apart from the warmth of his voice and personality; apart from the smile in his eyes and the genuine empathy with his colleagues; apart from the pride he took in his wife and family and in his students…..Ryland was a fierce and passionate advocate on behalf of young singers and his fellow teachers, as well as the rigorous teaching method he grew up with at the RNCM (then known as the Royal Manchester College of Music). He was a man we all loved and he will be missed hugely. RIP Ryland
Thanks for the tribute to this wonderful, warm, kind, generous man. He was just so musical. He had a long and fascinating career, and shared his experience with his students, many of whom now have international careers. Thank you Ryland, and condolences to his family. Always remembered with a smile.
I remember singing with him at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, along with Ameral Gunson and Alan Ward. I am now the only one alive out of that quartet! He was a lovely man and a wonderful singer. Remember him so clearly too in the Carmelites at ENO, in English of course, and commenting that his words, along with Josphine Barstow’s and Felicity Palmer’s, were so clear from the backrow of the gods that I stopped blaming the vastness of the Coliseum. If I’m not mistaken, he then went on to marry Deborah Rees, who was a soprano of Ena Mitchell’s at the RNCM when I was there in the late 70s, and a lovely person. Really sorry to hear the news of his death.
The Measure of the Man.
I was never a pupil of wonderful Ryland Davies, but he did hear me sing Bleuet by Poulenc in a class event when he was teaching at RNCM. He was the first out of his seat at the end of the class to come over to me and say how much he enjoyed my singing of that song and encourage me. From then on if I crossed him in a corridor he would say ‘ I still haven’t forgotten that Poulenc.’ He just never forgot.
On another occasion when I got my first opera contract abroad he took the time to chat with me as he knew the company I was joining. He was just so thoughtful , especially in his care for young singers.
A very kind, fine Tenor, Musician and Man of the Theatre has left us. His recordings are a precious legacy and I know that he will remain in the thoughts and hearts of many . RIP Ryland.
Ryland Davies was a name unknown to me at the first Covent Garden performance I attended. The opera was DON GIOVANNI, with the title role taken by Cesare Siepi. The other cast members included Margaret Price, Kiri Te Kanawa and Robert Lloyd. Yet as Don Ottavio, Mr. Davies’ singing was notable even among that company.
He was a memorable Ferrando in the now legendary Besch/Stoddart//Gibson Cosi fan tutte with Janet Baker and Elizabeth Harwood as the sisters. Condolences to his family and friends
This Sunday, on BBC Four at 21:15:
Opera singer Kiri Te Kanawa talks to Bernard Levin and sings scenes from Don Giovanni, The Marriage of Figaro, Otello and La Boheme. With Ryland Davies, Elizabeth Bainbridge and the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House conducted by Robin Stapleton.
http://www.bruceduffie.com/davies.html
An interview conducted by Bruce Duffie, radio presenter of the formerly WNIB in Chicago, with Ryland when in Chicago singing. It was recorded and broadcasted in March 1998, and recently typed up for posterity by myself for Bruce. Worth a read as it’s no ordinary interview.