Piccaver (real name, Peckover), Alfred
Piccaver (real name, Peckover), Alfred
Piccaver (real name, Peckover), Alfred, English tenor; b. Long Sutton, Lincolnshire, Feb. 15, 1884; d. Vienna, Sept. 23, 1958. He studied at the Metropolitan School in N.Y. He made his operatic debut as Roméo in Prague in 1907, then continued his studies there and in Milan. In 1910 he deputized at the Vienna Court (later State) Opera in the Italian season; remained in Vienna as a leading lyric tenor until 1937. His repertoire included Don José, Florestan, Walther von Stolzing, Lensky, and Andrea Chénier; he also took part in the first Austrian performance of La Fanciulla del West in 1913. He appeared in Chicago (1923–25); in 1924 he sang Cavaradossi and the Duke of Mantua at Covent Garden in London. From 1937 to 1955 he taught voice in London; then returned to Vienna to attend the opening of the new building of the Staatsoper; he remained in Vienna as a voice teacher until his death.
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire