Peter Glossop

Peter Glossop (6 July 1928 – 7 September 2008) was an English baritone who was the only Englishman to have sung Verdi's great tragic baritone roles at La Scala, Milan. He rose from humble beginnings in Yorkshire to become a leading performer in London and in the major opera houses of Europe and America.

Peter Glossop was born in the Wadsley suburb of Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, the son of Cyril Glossop, a manager at a cutlery factory. He was educated at High Storrs Grammar School and was introduced to opera by his mother Violet, who smuggled him into the Lyceum Theatre where she was working as a secretary. After National Service, he joined the National Provincial Bank as a clerk, and in his spare time sang with the Sheffield Operatic Society. His début in 1949 was in the dual role of Coppélius and Dr Miracle in Les Contes d'Hoffmann. He studied locally with Joseph Hislop and Eva Rich and was a finalist in the 1952 Great Caruso Contest. He joined the chorus of Sadler's Wells Opera the same year and continued his studies with Leonard Mosley. He was soon singing minor roles for the company, and his first professional role was Morales in Carmen in 1953. This was followed by Schaunard in La bohème and Silvio in Pagliacci. In 1955 Glossop was appointed as a company principal. During the next five years he sang most of the leading Verdi baritone roles, and was especially known for the title role in Rigoletto and for Di Luna in Il trovatore.