European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 19, 1959, Darmstadt, Hesse " if of a uni of i -. It sly a London can play somber Godunov. Or swashbuckling Don Giovanni. London from California Means so in Vienna the standing room Only signs Are out when baritone sings in Blue Danube City by Ernie Reed the up dons Are equally at Home in new York or Vienna. The name of american baritone George London on posters heralding a production at Vienna s famed state opera in itself guarantees that the performance will be a sellout. London a strikingly handsome 6-foot-2 former resident of los Angeles has enjoyed top prestige accorded Only to luminaries by the viennese for close to a decade and although he remains As american As when he was an unknown looking for Odd jobs in California,.he has become As much a part of the Vienna scene As the Shade Trees on the ring. Not that his operatic Success is limited to the City on the Danube London is one of the few. Singers today who can write his own ticket among most of the world great opera companies including new York s metropolitan the Scala in Milan and at the festival centers of Bayreuth and Salzburg. The viennese feel that London is one of their kind and treat him like a native son. He is instantly recognized by head waiters who Accord him the tables an service commensurate to his rank in a land where musical Talent outweighs any other attribute. Life has not always been so prodigal with London As he is first to admit he likes to reminisce without any Trace of nostalgia about the years when he was on the Way up but had no Way of know ing that he was remembering those times makes me More fully aware of my healthier situation today he says. The erstwhile californian who last autumn Sang his eighth consecutive season at the met first decided to com e to Europe just 10 Summers ago when it was becom ing increasingly obvious that the Home land was t interested in him. For the previous 10 years he had drifted around the u.s., Canada and Mexico in an Assort ment of Odd jobs that included singing for pocket Money at funerals and weddings. A slightly larger segment of the Public got to see him in a song and tap routine in a Road show company of a los Angeles review called meet the he also toured with an ice show appeared As Lead ing Man in a Vancouver repertory com Pany for an unmemorable season and Sang in a Short lived California revival of the desert he also spent some time touring with a vocal threesome known As the Bel Canto Trio of which the also yet unknown Mario Lanza constituted one third. R / he arrived in Vienna in 1949.bearing a letter of introduction to Martin Taubman an impresario with offices there and inner York and after that his Star began to rise.1 Taubman was impressed with his voice and virtually hand carried London to Brussels where the Vienna state opera company was playing a summer engage. Ment. The Vienna opera conductor Kar Boehm agreed to give London a audition after the evening s performance of marriage of George Sang Iii russian Boris Godunov s monologue and members of the Figaro cast slipped into the empty Thea Ter to listen. London finished to an ova Tion. London made his Vienna debut in Verdi s Aida singing the role of Amonasro King of the ethiopians and the audience hastily scanned its programs to learn the name of this unknown american. They never forgot it. It is not implied that London stepped from the music Halls to the highest peaks of grand opera just because of a Good voice acting Talent and a Lucky break. Actually. In All the years he roamed the u.s., sing ing for his supper he was putting himself through the rigorous study training and gruelling voice practice and perfecting himself in the several languages required to handle the top operatic roles. By the time he reached Vienna in 1949, he was a finished product but As yet in sold. From then on Success followed Success and his renown As a Singer and an actor spread throughout the musical world. The viennese particularly the Young ones were so enamoured of the dashing opera Star that they were a Little abashed whence married in 1955. His wife Nora Man girl of russian ancestry reared i Paris is not. A musician but had Long been an admirer of London before she met him at a russian easter party . Nora had two children by a previous marriage Andy now 13 and Philip 9.since their marriage the family has been enlarged by the birth of a daughter Marina now 3, and Mark born last april. The la dons Divide their year York where they have a Large apart ment overlooking Central Park and Vienna which is the Home base for his euro Pean career. As a figure of note in the world s music capitals London can look Back with gratitude to a family Friend Back in los an Geles when he was Only 16, who recognized that he had a Fine voice and persuaded his Mother to get him a private music teacher. His parents who immigrated into Ca Nada from Russia then became naturalized americans had Moyed to los an Geles from new York when George was 15. He attended los Angeles High where he remembers Young Lana Turner As glamorous classmate but alas a stranger to him. F London recalls that he wangled a sea near her in class and occasionally followed her to a drugstore just to watch her enjoy soda or sundae. But she never gave me a Tumble audit was t Long afterwards that a movie scout spotted her and she went out of my life forever he said recently. But As it turned out London did All right for himself going it alone. Sunday july 19, 1959 the stars and stripes Page 11
