John Cameron Papers

This material is held atRoyal Northern College of Music Archives

  • Reference
    • GB 1179 JC
  • Dates of Creation
    • 1964-c.1999
  • Name of Creator
  • Language of Material
    • English.
  • Physical Description
    • 56 items

Scope and Content

Biographies and CV, from various main stages of his career, c.1970-c.1999; 7 items.

Role and repertoire lists: opera, 5 items; oratorio, 2 items; recital repertoire, 3 items.

List of gramophone recordings with critiques, 1964; 2 items.

Lists of recordings, with companies and recording no.s; 4 items (including brochure), Reviews and press cuttings, 1965-2000; 18 items.

Talks/scripts for broadcasts; 5 items.

Publicity and informal photographs; 10 items.

Administrative / Biographical History

John Ewen Cameron (d. 2002) was born at Coolamon, NSW, on March 20, 1918, in very modest circumstances.

He studied at the NSW State Conservatorium of Music and then sang all over Australia before emigrating to England in 1949. He was engaged by the then resident British company at Covent Garden on the recommendation of Eugene Goossens. He immediately made his mark as Germont in La Traviata (1949), and went on to sing a variety of parts, notably Mozart's Figaro.

Later, Glyndebourne engaged him to sing Arbace in Mozart's Idomeneo and two roles in Gluck's Alceste. From 1962 Cameron travelled to the Continent, appearing for a time with the Oldenburg Opera in Germany, and singing Britten's War Requiem in Prague. He frequently returned to Australia, singing from 1949 to 1974 with the Elizabethan Trust, and latterly to adjudicate singing competitions.

After his retirement as a performer, he taught with relish at the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester.

John Cameron married Patricia Valma Lawrie (b. 1930) in March 1961.

Access Information

Open for consultation.

Acquisition Information

Brought from John Cameron's home in Bowden during house clearance following his death in 2002.

Note

Description compiled by Joanne Fitton in direct relation to the description created by Sarah Wickham on RNCM catalogue.

Other Finding Aids

Royal Northern College of Music Archives Catalogue (CALM).

Conditions Governing Use

Copyright is subject to the provision of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1984.

Appraisal Information

Duplicates have been removed.

Accruals

None expected.