Arthur Seguin (full name Arthur Edward Sheldon Seguin; 7 April 1809 – 13 December 1852) was an English operatic bass singer. He appeared in opera houses in London in the 1830s; from 1838 he lived in America, appearing in New York and touring the USA and Canada.

Early life and career

Seguin was born in London on 7 April 1809. His father, Ralph Arthur Seguin (1781/2–1865), was for many years secretary at

Her Majesty's Theatre His Majesty's Theatre is a West End theatre situated in the Haymarket, London, Haymarket in the City of Westminster, London. The building, designed by Charles J. Phipps, was constructed in 1897 for the actor-manager Herbert Beerbohm Tree, who ...

; his mother was Sarah ''née'' Smythe. He was of Irish descent. He was educated at the

Royal Academy of Music The Royal Academy of Music (RAM) in London, England, is one of the oldest music schools in the UK, founded in 1822 by John Fane and Nicolas-Charles Bochsa. It received its royal charter in 1830 from King George IV with the support of the firs ...

, from which he narrowly escaped dismissal for some youthful breaches of discipline in 1827. In that year he came into prominence by his singing at a students' public concert in the

Hanover Square Rooms The Hanover Square Rooms or the Queen's Concert Rooms were assembly rooms established, principally for musical performances, on the corner of Hanover Square, London, England, by Sir John Gallini in partnership with Johann Christian Bach and Ca ...

. His performance of the part of Basilio in Rossini's ''

The Barber of Seville ''The Barber of Seville, or The Useless Precaution'' ( ) is an ''opera buffa'' (comic opera) in two acts composed by Gioachino Rossini with an Italian libretto by Cesare Sterbini. The libretto was based on Pierre Beaumarchais's French comedy ' ...

'', at the first dramatic performance of the Royal Academy of Music on 8 December 1828, was warmly praised by the press. On 6 November 1830 he was in the academy's production of Lord Burghersh's opera ''Catherine'', Ann Childe (who subsequently became his wife) filling the title-role. A reviewer wrote: "... in the concerted pieces... his fine sonorous bass came in with a charming effect." Early in 1831 he sang Polyphemus in a stage representation of Handel's ''

Acis and Galatea Acis and Galatea (, ) are characters from Greek mythology later associated together in Ovid's ''Metamorphoses''. The episode tells of the love between the mortal Acis and the Nereid (sea-nymph) Galatea; when the jealous Cyclops Polyphemus kil ...

'' at the Queen's Theatre, Tottenham Street, under the management of

George Macfarren George Macfarren (1788–1843) was a playwright and the father of composer George Alexander Macfarren. Life He was born in London 5 September 1788. He was the son of George Macfarren. He was educated chiefly at Archbishop Tenison's school in Cas ...

. In 1832 Seguin was engaged at

Drury Lane Drury Lane is a street on the boundary between the Covent Garden and Holborn areas of London, running between Aldwych and High Holborn. The northern part is in the borough of London Borough of Camden, Camden and the southern part in the City o ...

, where he appeared with

Maria Malibran Maria Felicia Malibran (; 24 March 1808 – 23 September 1836) was a Spanish singer who commonly sang both contralto and soprano parts, and was one of the best-known opera singers of the 19th century. Malibran was known for her stormy personality ...

in Bellini's ''

La Sonnambula ''La sonnambula'' (; ''The Sleepwalker'') is an opera semiseria in two acts, with music in the ''bel canto'' tradition by Vincenzo Bellini set to an Italian libretto by Felice Romani, based on a scenario for a ''ballet-pantomime'' written by Eu ...

'', and during the two following years, and from 1835 to 1837, he sang at

Covent Garden Covent Garden is a district in London, on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit-and-vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist sit ...

. His performance of Masetto in the revival of Mozart's ''

Don Giovanni ''Don Giovanni'' (; K. 527; full title: , literally ''The Rake Punished, or Don Giovanni'') is an opera in two acts with music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to an Italian libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte. Its subject is a centuries-old Spanish legen ...

'' in February 1833 was successful, and in 1835 he was in Beethoven's ''

Fidelio ''Fidelio'' (; ), originally titled ' (''Leonore, or The Triumph of Marital Love''), Opus number, Op. 72, is the sole opera by German composer Ludwig van Beethoven. The libretto was originally prepared by Joseph Sonnleithner from the French of ...

'', as Rocco. In May 1836, appearing with Maria Malibran, he created the role of Synnelet in Balfe's ''

The Maid of Artois ''The Maid of Artois'' is an opera by Michael William Balfe, written in 1836 to a libretto by Alfred Bunn, manager of the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, in London, who based his work on Eugène Scribe's stage version of Abbé Prévost's novel ''Manon ...

'' at Drury Lane, and in August 1838 he created the part of the baron in

George Alexander Macfarren Sir George Alexander Macfarren (2 March 181331 October 1887) was an English composer and musicologist. Life George Alexander Macfarren was born in London on 2 March 1813 to George Macfarren, a dancing-master, dramatic author and journalist, wh ...

's ''The Devil's Opera'' at the English Opera House.

America

In that year he left England for America, where he first appeared as the Count in Rooke's ''

Amilie, or the Love Test ''Amilie, or the Love Test'' is an opera in three acts by the Irish composer, William Michael Rooke, to a libretto by John Thomas Haines. Background Although written around 1818 in Dublin, the opera was not performed until almost twenty years ...

'' on 15 October at the National Theatre, New York. In America he founded an operatic company, The Seguin Troupe, which toured successfully in the United States and Canada, including in the summer of 1840 a season of opera at the Theatre Royal in Montreal, Canada. A concert given by

Anna Bishop Anna, Lady Bishop (9 January 181018 March 1884) was an English operatic soprano. She sang in many countries and was believed to be the most widely travelled singer of the 19th century.Tripler Hall, New York in 1850 was reviewed: "Mr Seguin sang the two great bass songs from the ''

Creation Creation or The Creation or Creations, may refer to: Arts and entertainment Film * ''Creation'' (1922 film), a British silent drama * ''Creation'' (unfinished film), 1931 * ''Creation'' (2009 film), about Charles Darwin Literature * ''Creation ...

'', in pure and classical style. He has a grand voice, a true ''basso profondo'', rich, deep, flowing.... We have but one fault to find in him — he lacks somewhat in fire...." Seguin is said to have been elected a chief by an Indian tribe, an honour he shared with

Edmund Kean Edmund Kean (4 November 178715 May 1833) was a British Shakespearean actor, who performed, among other places, in London, Belfast, New York, Quebec, and Paris. He was known for his short stature, tumultuous personal life, and controversial div ...

. He died in New York in 1852. His was described as "one of the finest bass voices ever heard" ('' The Athenæum'', 1853, page 115), and he was also noted as a comic actor.

Notes and references

Attribution * {{DEFAULTSORT:Seguin, Arthur 1809 births 1852 deaths Operatic basses English basses American basses 19th-century English male opera singers