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Donald Robin Smith (born 26 March 1942), who sang professionally as Robin Donald, is an Australian operatic tenor. He performed leading operatic tenor roles in opera houses in Britain, Europe, Australia and New Zealand for over 35 years. Donald Robin Smith was born in Bundaberg, Queensland in 1942,〔Original Birth Certificate of Donald Robin Smith〕 the son of the tenor Donald Smith and Thelma Joyce Lovett, who were married in Bundaberg on 13 September 1941. Robin Donald's initial studies in music, stagecraft, and languages took place with the Queensland Conservatorium of Music in Brisbane, now located within the campus of Griffith University. During his teens Robin performed with The Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust Opera Company at the old Her Majesty's Theatre in Queen Street, Brisbane, in Gounod's opera ''Faust''. He also gained his first performing experiences as a principal tenor with the Brisbane Gilbert & Sullivan Society and the Queensland Light Opera Company (QLOC), in the musicals ''Iolanthe'', ''The White Horse Inn'' and ''No No Nanette''. Robin Donald began his solo professional operatic career in England in 1966 as a principal tenor with the Sadler's Wells Opera Company (which later became the English National Opera). Prior to this he studied music, acting and stagecraft with The London Opera Centre. He also toured during this time with the Centre's company Opera For All, performing the roles of The Duke in Verdi's ''Rigoletto'', Nemorino in Donizetti's ''L'elisir d'amore'', and Basilio in Mozart's ''The Marriage of Figaro''. Donald studied and worked with at The London Opera Centre, with the New Zealand soprano Kiri Te Kanawa. He made his professional operatic debut in London with Sadler's Wells Opera Company at the Coliseum Theatre in 1968, as Rodolfo in Puccini's ''La bohème''. After singing and touring for some 10 years as a principal tenor with Sadler's Wells, in a variety of major tenor roles, as well as performing in Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and Greece, Robin returned to Australia initially in 1973, to perform as part of the opening of the Sydney Opera House, in the Australian Opera's productions in the role of Rinuccio in Puccini's ''Gianni Schicchi'', and in Wagner's ''Tannhäuser''. He then returned to England to fulfill contracts there with Sadler's Wells Opera, in the role of Des Grieux in Massenet's ''Manon'' (with Valerie Masterson), and for performances with the Welsh National Opera Company' as Rodolfo in their production of "La bohème" (with Josephine Barstow). He then returned again permanently to Australia in 1974, with his wife Jeni and son Brent, to accept a contract with the Australian Opera Company, (now Opera Australia). He performed and remained with that company singing a variety of principal tenor roles for over ten years. One of Robin Donald's major tenor roles during this period included singing Turridu in Mascagni's ''Cavalleria rusticana'', while his father tenor Donald Smith performed his famous role as Canio in Leoncavallo's ''Pagliacci'' on the same bill. These performances at the Sydney Opera House were acclaimed at that time as the only known occasions when a father and son operatic tenors had ever appeared together on the same 'double bill' in these operas, anywhere in the world. During this period, both Robin Donald and Donald Smith also went on to perform on many other occasions together, in other operas, including Wagner's ''The Flying Dutchman'', (where Robin sang either of the tenor roles of The Steersman and Eric), and Puccini's ''La fanciulla del West''. They also performed together the famous series of "Smith & Son" concerts in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide. ==Recordings== *Donizetti: ''Lucia di Lammermoor'' - Opera Australia (1986), Richard Bonynge conductor. (Arthaus Musik DVD 100242) *Donizetti: ''Lucrezia Borgia'' - Opera Australia (1977), Richard Bonynge conductor. (Opus Arte DVD OAF4026D) *Verdi: ''Il trovatore'' - Opera Australia (1983), Richard Bonynge conductor. (Arthaus Musik DVD 100276) 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア(Wikipedia)』 ■ウィキペディアで「Robin Donald」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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