On Thursday, March 17, the beloved American baritone Theodor Uppman died. Mr. Uppman, who was 85 years old, retired from the opera stage long ago, but his concern for and influence on younger singers had never ceased.
Best known for creating the title role in Benjamin Britten’s opera Billy Budd in 1951, Uppman had previously made a stunning impression opposite the renowned Maggie Teyte in a 1947 concert performance of Debussy’s Pelléas et Mélisande with the San Francisco Symphony. (His repeat of this role the following year in a fully staged performance at New York’s City Opera was equally well received.) These two opera personas, Billy Budd and Pelléas, so different from one another, show not only the range of Mr. Uppman’s sensibilities—he was at home in at least a dozen other roles as well—they also illustrate fascinating aspects of his life and nature.
For a few years, despite his successes in Pelléas, offers from major opera houses were not forthcoming. Uppman had been raised in a family of practical people—his father was a cabinetmaker—so instead of moping, he took a job as a laborer for an oil company in California. As a result the handsome, virile, young baritone became tanned and muscular. When he was recommended to Britten as a possible Billy Budd—a good-natured, strong but simple seaman in the Herman Melville story on which the libretto is based—he looked enough like such a character to seem born for the part. Needless to say, his voice was equally suitable: clear, forthright and powerful. Britten was enchanted, as were the many audiences who saw Uppman in the opera.
The connection of life experience and opera roles relates to Mr. Uppman’s career-renowned performance in Pelléas. His service in the U.S. Army in World War II took him to Normandy, France, where he perfected his French, a notoriously difficult language to sing, even for native Frenchmen. With his high, lyric yet robust voice, youthful vigor, boyish looks, and musical sensitivity, he excelled at the Met in lighter roles such as Mozart’s Papageno, Offenbach’s Paquillo in La Périchole, and Strauss’ Harlequin in Ariadne auf Naxos. He gave almost 400 performances in 15 roles with the company.
Uppman taught at the Manhattan and Mannes schools of music in New York City, but his interest in young singers extended far beyond that of a mere pedagogue. When he learned of an organization to help young opera singers bridge the gap between graduation from conservatory or university and being ready to launch a career, he immediately joined, inspiring all with his words of encouragement and common-sense advice. This organization, Career Bridges, provides mentoring, grants and performance opportunities to more than 25 recipients per year. Last May, the Third Annual Gala Awards Concert was the first major event that Theodor Uppman, known to us all as Ted, was not in attendance. He was and is sorely missed.
