Walter Midgley

Walter Midgley (1913 - 18 September 1980) was an English operatic tenor.

He was an internationally acclaimed singer, married to the pianist Gladys Vernon. His daughter Maryetta Midgley and his son Vernon Midgley have become accomplished singers in their own right. Before the second war Walter sang with Geraldo on BBC Radio. After the war he became Principal Tenor at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden making his debut as Claf in Turandot. He subsequently sang all the major leading roles for many seasons.

He once appeared with his wife and children on the long-running BBC Radio programme "Friday Night is Music Night", the only occasion all four Midgleys were to perform together.

In 1948 during Rigoletto at Covent Garden, while he was singing 'Questa o quella' Walter swallowed his moustach. This incident made headlines all over the world and the story has become a classic. But to put the record straight (by his daughter Maryetta) far from being amusing, it was very worrying. Walter completed the first act and the C.G.Specialist was able to retrieve some of the offending article and had to operate the next day to remove the gauze. For Walter it was a case of 'the show must go on' but caused him much discomfort for some months after.

He died in 1980 having just completed another of his very popular Radio 2 Series, 'Walter Midgley Remebers'

Corrected/Updated 19.10.08 by M.Midgley

Literature

• D. Brook, Singers of Today (Revised Edition - Rockliff, London 1958), 140-144.