Born Sept. 10, 1944, Thomas Allen Made His Met Opera Debut as Papageno

Summary: Born Sept. 10, 1944, Thomas Allen made his Metropolitan Opera debut Nov. 5, 1981, as Papageno in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte.

American operatic soprano Kathleen Battle (born Aug. 13, 1948), as Pamina, and English baritone Thomas Allen (born Sept. 10, 1944), in his Met Opera debut as Papageno, perform in the last revival of Gûnther Rennert’s 1966-1967 production, with costumes and scene changes designed by Belarusian French-Jewish artist Marc Chagall (July 7, 1887-March 28, 1985): The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera, via Facebook July 13, 2017

Born Sept. 10, 1944, Thomas Allen made his Metropolitan Opera debut Nov. 5, 1981, as Papageno in the opera house’s 247th performance of Die Zauberflöte by Classical Era composer Wolfgang Mozart (Jan. 27, 1756-Dec. 5, 1791).

The English operatic baritone’s debut occurred in the 102nd performance of the Metropolitan Opera’s Marc Chagall-designed production. The production had debuted as new staging Feb. 19, 1967, under the direction of German opera director Gûnther Rennert (April 1, 1911-July 31, 1978). After the 1966-1967 season, the Chagall-designed production had eight revivals.

Thomas Allen’s debut took place in the eighth, and last, revival. Die Zauberflöte received 14 performances in the 1981-1982 Met Opera season. Thomas Allen sang Papageno in the first five performances.

Thomas Allen returned to the Metropolitan Opera four seasons later to sing Count Almaviva in the 1985-1986 Met Opera season’s new production of Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro. The new production debuted Nov. 22, 1985, and received 13 performances in its debut season. French opera director Jean-Pierre Ponnelle (Feb. 19, 1932-Aug. 11, 1988) directed and designed the new staging.

The English baritone’s role debut in a third Mozart opera at the Metropolitan Opera occurred in the 1995-1996 season. He sang Don Alfonso in the opera house’s new production of Così fan tutte. Debuting Feb. 8, 1996, Così fan tutte received a total of 10 performances in this season. American stage manager Lesley Koenig directed the new production, with designs by American production designer Michael Yeargan (born Feb. 13, 1946).

Thomas Allen reprised Don Alfonso in the 1996-1997 Met Opera season. Così fan tutte received 13 performances in this season. The last four performances, in which Thomas Allen appeared, were staged at the NHK Hall, the NHK Broadcasting Center’s concert hall, in Shibuya ward, Tokyo, Japan.

His second reprisal of Don Alfonso occurred in the 2005-2006 Met Opera season. He appeared in six of the season’s seven performances. His closing night performance, Jan. 28, 2006, marks Thomas Allen’s most recent appearance as Don Alfonso at the Metropolitan Opera.

In the 1987-1988 Met Opera season, Thomas Allen appeared as Eisenstein in Die Fledermaus by Austrian light music composer Johann Strauss II (Oct. 25, 1825-June 3, 1899). He reprised the role in the 1989-1990 and 1995-1996 Met Opera seasons.

In the 1988-1989 Met Opera season, Thomas Allen added the first of two Benjamin Britten (Nov. 22, 1913-Dec. 4, 1976) roles to his Met Opera repertoire. His Met Opera role debut in the title role in Billy Budd took place April 3, 1989.

Thomas Allen claimed seven roles in his second Britten opera at Met Opera. He appeared as Traveler, Elderly Fop, Old Gondolier, Hotel Manager, Hotel Barber, Leader of the Players and Voice of Dionysius in the 1993-1994 Met Opera season’s new production of Death in Venice. The new staging of Britten’s last opera debuted Feb. 7, 1994.

In the 1993-1994 Met Opera season, Thomas Allen added Puccini’s Madama Butterfly to his Met Opera repertoire. He reprised the role of Sharpless in the 1995-1996 and 1999-2000 Met Opera seasons.

Thomas Allen made a brief appearance during the 1994-1995 Met Opera season. He sang Figaro in two performances of Il Barbiere di Siviglia by Italian composer Gioachino Rossini (Feb. 29, 1792-Nov. 13, 1868).

In the 2001-2002 Met Opera season, Thomas Allen added German composer and librettist Richard Wagner (May 22, 1813-Feb. 13, 1883) to his Met Opera repertoire. He sang Beckmesser in three of the season’s seven performances of Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg.

In the 2005-2006 Met Opera season, the English baritone made his role debut at Met Opera in the first of two operas by German late Romantic and early modern composer Richard Strauss (June 11, 1864-Sept. 8, 1949). He appeared as the Music Master in the season’s five performances of Ariadne auf Naxos. He reprised the role in the 2010-2011 Met Opera season.

Thomas Allen claimed his second Met Opera role in a Richard Strauss opera in the 2009-2010 Met Opera season. He sang Faninal in four the season’s eight performances of Der Rosenkavalier.

In the 2014-2015 Met Opera season, the English baritone appeared as Baron Zeta in the opera house’s new production of The Merry Widow by Austro-Hungarian composer Franz Léhar (April 30, 1870-Oct. 24, 1948). Debuting Dec. 31, 2014, the new production received 14 performances in this season.

American choreographer and theater director Susan Stroman (born Oct. 17, 1954) choreographed and directed the new production. Sets and costumes were designed, respectively, by British theatre designer and puppet maker Julian Crouch (born 1962) and American costume designer William Ivey Long (born Aug. 30, 1947).

Thomas Allen reprised Baron Zeta for the 2017-2018 Met Opera season’s nine performances. Closing night, Jan. 11, 2018, marks the English baritone’s most recent appearance at the Metropolitan Opera.

Thomas Boaz Allen was born Sunday, Sept. 10, 1944, in Seaham (formerly Seaham Harbour), a mining village in County Durham, North East England. His parents were Thomas and Florence Allen.

Thomas Boaz Allen became Sir Thomas Boaz Allen on June 12, 1999, the date of the Queen’s Birthday Honours for 1999. He was honoured with the Knight Bachelor for his services to opera.

In January 2012, Sir Thomas Allen became the 12th Chancellor at North East England’s Durham University. Sir Thomas received an honorary degree in 1988 from Dame Margot Fonteyn (May 18, 1919-Feb. 21, 1991), the ninth Durham Chancellor.

The 2013 Queen’s Medal for Music was awarded to Sir Thomas as the annual award’s ninth recipient. Queen Elizabeth II (born April 21, 1926) presented the award, which recognizes outstanding influences “on the musical life of the nation,” to the English baritone at London’s Buckingham Palace on Wednesday, March 19, 2014.

The takeaway for Thomas Allen, who was born Sept. 10, 1944, is that the English baritone made his Metropolitan Opera debut as Papageno in the opera house’s last revival of the Gûnther Renner-directed, Marc Chagall-designed production of Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte.

On March 19, 2014, Sir Thomas Allen was honored at Buckingham Palace as the ninth recipient of The Queen’s Medal for Music: Dunelm -- Durham University Alumni Community, via Facebook March 21, 2014

Acknowledgment

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

Image credits:

American operatic soprano Kathleen Battle (born Aug. 13, 1948), as Pamina, and English baritone Thomas Allen (born Sept. 10, 1944), in his Met Opera debut as Papageno, perform in the last revival of Gûnther Rennert’s 1966-1967 production, with costumes and scene changes designed by Belarusian French-Jewish artist Marc Chagall (July 7, 1887-March 28, 1985): The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera, via Facebook July 13, 2017, @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/photos/a.134969600532/10159091613120533/

On March 19, 2014, Sir Thomas Allen was honored at Buckingham Palace as the ninth recipient of The Queen’s Medal for Music: Dunelm -- Durham University Alumni Community, via Facebook March 21, 2014, @ https://www.facebook.com/DUdunelm/posts/10152273739126163

For further information:

“Debut: Thomas Allen.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 266530 Die Zauberflöte {247} Metropolitan Opera House: 11/5/1981.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=266530

Dunelm -- Durham University Alumni Community. “Congratulations to Durham University Chancellor, Sir Thomas Allen, who has just received the Queen's Medal for Music.” Facebook. March 21, 2014.
Available @ https://www.facebook.com/DUdunelm/posts/10152273739126163

Durham University @durhamuniversity. “Chancellor Dame Margot Fonteyn with Sir Thomas Allen Receiving his Honorary Degree at degree Durham University in 1988.” Facebook.
Available @ https://www.facebook.com/203488122997122/posts/495439877135277/

Marriner, Derdriu. “Born July 7, 1887, Marc Chagall Designed Die Zauberflöte at Met Opera.” Earth and Space News. Monday, July 1, 2019.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/07/born-july-7-1887-marc-chagall-designed.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “The Magic Flute Is Dec. 9, 2017, Met Opera Saturday Matinee Broadcast.” Earth and Space News. Monday, Dec. 4, 2017.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2017/12/the-magic-flute-is-dec-9-2017-met-opera.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “The Magic Flute Is the Dec. 29, 2018, Met Opera Saturday Matinee Broadcast.” Earth and Space News. Monday, Dec. 24, 2018.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2018/12/the-magic-flute-is-dec-29-2018-met.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “Met Opera Unveiled Two Marc Chagall Music Murals Sept. 8, 1966.” Earth and Space News. Monday, Sept. 2, 2019.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/09/met-opera-unveiled-two-marc-chagall.html

Mesa, Franklin. Opera: An Encyclopedia of World Premieres and Significant Performances, Singers, Composers, Librettists, Arias and Conductors, 1597-2000. Jefferson NC; London, England: McFarland & Company, Inc. 2007.

The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera. "#TBT Kathleen Battle sang the role of Pamina and Thomas Allen made his Met Opera debut in this 1981 performance of Die Zauberflöte. Mozart's whimsical fairy tale returns Sept 27. bit.ly/2uOu19QPhoto courtesy of the Metropolitan Opera Archives." Facebook. July 13, 2017.
Available @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/photos/a.134969600532/10159091613120533/

“New Production: Così Fan Tutte.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 323260 New Production Così Fan Tutte {134} Metropolitan Opera House: 02/8/1996.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=323260

“New Production: Death in Venice.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 315310 New Production Death in Venice {10} Metropolitan Opera House: 02/7/1994.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=315310

“New Production: Die Zauberflöte.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 209500 New production Die Zauberflöte {146} Metropolitan Opera House: 02/19/1967.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=209500

“New Production: Le Nozze di Figaro.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 282600 New Production Le Nozze di Figaro {280} Metropolitan Opera House: 11/22/1985.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=282600

“New Production: The Merry Widow.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 355727 New Production The Merry Widow {27} Metropolitan Opera House: 12/31/2014.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=355727