Van Allan, Richard (real name, Alan Philip Jones)
Van Allan, Richard (real name, Alan Philip Jones)
Van Allan, Richard (real name, Alan Philip Jones), English bass; b. Clipstone, Nottinghamshire, May 28, 1935. He studied at the Worcester Coll. of Education and received vocal training from David Franklin at the Birmingham School of Music; he also had private vocal lessons with J. Strasser. In 1964 he became a member of the Glyndebourne Festival Chorus. In 1966 he made his operatic debut at the Glyndebourne Opera in a minor role in Die Zauberflöte. In 1969 he joined the Sadler’s Wells Opera in London, and later sang there after it became the English National Opera in 1974. In 1970 he created the role of Jowler in Maw’s The Ring of the Moonat Glyndebourne. He made his debut at London’s Covent Garden as the Mandarin in Turandotin 1971. In 1976 he sang Baron Ochs at the San Diego Opera. In 1986 he became director of the National Opera Studio. However, he continued to pursue his stage career. In 1990 he sang Don Alfonso at the Metropolitan Opera in N.Y. In 1992 he created the role of Jerome in the stage premiere of Gerhard’s The Duennain Madrid. He appeared as Massenet’s Don Quichotte at the Victoria State Opera in Melbourne in 1995. Among his other roles are Osmin, Don Giovanni, Leporello, Mozart’s Figaro, the Grand Inquisitor, Philip II, and Verdi’s Banquo.
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire