Joseph Ward (tenor)

Joseph Ward OBE (22 May 1932 in Preston[1] – 27 April 2019[2][3]) was an English tenor, formerly a baritone, who created roles in operas by Benjamin Britten and Michael Tippett. He has also made a career as a singing teacher – his pupils include Jane Eaglen – and opera producer.

In the 1950s, he toured with the Carl Rosa Opera, appearing in several operas including the company's final production staged in Nottingham in 1956.[4] As a baritone he created the role of Starveling in Britten's A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1960), and in the same year sang the same composer's eponymous hero Billy Budd in the radio-broadcast premiere of the revised two-act version.[1] He became principal baritone at The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, making his debut there in 1962.[1] He also created the role of Patroclus in Tippett's opera King Priam.[5] He recorded as a baritone the role of Sid in Britten's Albert Herring, conducted by the composer. He subsequently transferred to the tenor repertoire and became Covent Garden's resident principal tenor.[2]

A friend of Joan Sutherland's, he was a principal tenor with the Sutherland-Williamson Grand Opera Company in a 1965 tour of Australia.[5]

In 1966, he appeared in the sole recording of Bernard Herrmann's only opera, Wuthering Heights, conducted by the composer.[2]

In 1972, he founded the Opera School at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester and subsequently became Head of Vocal Studies there in 1986.[1][5] He was appointed an OBE in the 1992 Birthday Honours List for his services.

In Australia, he directed productions of Billy Budd and Ralph Vaughan Williams's The Pilgrim's Progress.[5] He sang as a tenor in the first recording of the latter opera, conducted by Sir Adrian Boult. He died on 27 April 2019.[2] He was a teacher at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music.[2]