Partridge, Ian (Harold)
Partridge, Ian (Harold)
Partridge, Ian (Harold), English tenor; b. Wimbledon, June 12, 1938. He was a chorister at New Coll., Oxford, and a music scholar at Clifton Coll. before pursuing his training in London at the Royal Coll. of Music and the Guildhall School of Music. He commenced his career as a piano accompanist while singing in the Westminster Cathedral Choir (1958–62). In 1958 he made his formal debut as a singer in Bexhill, and from 1962 he pursued a solo career. In 1969 he made his debut at London’s Covent Garden as Iopas in Les Troyens. He appeared as a soloist with many major orchs. in England and abroad, gave many recitals, and sang on radio and television. In 1989 he made his debut at the Salzburg Festival in Bach’s St. John Passion. In 1991 he was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire. His sister, Jennifer Partridge (b. New Maiden, June 17, 1942), is a pianist who has often served as his accompanist.
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire