Claude Heater

Claude Heater Broadway Open Photo

Claude Heater (born October 25, 1927) is an American opera singer. He began his career on Broadway as a baritone in New York City in 1950. In 1952 he decided to focus on opera and left to study as a baritone in Italy. This led to a tour of Spain with an Italian opera company and eventually with opera houses in Europe ending his baritone career after three years at the Vienna State Opera and the San Francisco Opera in California from 1953 to 1961. He retrained his voice as a tenor, and from 1963 had great success in the Dramatic/Wagnerian tenor repertoire at major theatres internationally.[1] After retiring from the stage in the 1970s, he devoted his time to develop dramatic voices. He is also known for portraying the role of Jesus Christ (uncredited in the titles) in the 1959 classic film Ben-Hur.

Early life and career as a baritone

Heater as Scarpia with Montserrat Caballé as Tosca in Basel in 1956.

Born in Oakland, California, Heater grew up in a Mormon family. When Heater was nineteen years old, he served as a missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) in the Eastern United States of America.

He returned to Europe in 1956 to sing in Basel, Switzerland, with Montserrat Caballé in Tosca, Pagliacci and Tiefland, along with Un ballo in maschera, La bohème, and Lohengrin. He went from Basel to Berlin to alternate with Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau in Un ballo in maschera and “Don Carlos” and with Hermann Prey in other roles. His debut was as Escamillo in Carmen.

Filmography

  • Ben Hur (1959) - Jesus Christ (film debut, uncredited)
  • Tristan und Isolde (1970) - Tristan (final film)

References

  1. ↑ "Claude Heater". Operissimo concertissimo.
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