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 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 the oldest conservatoire 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 first Duke of ...

, 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. His performance of the part of Basilio in Rossini's '' The Barber of Seville'', 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'' at the Queen's Theatre, Tottenham Street, under the management of George Macfarren. In 1832 Seguin was engaged at

Drury Lane Drury Lane is a street on the eastern boundary of the Covent Garden area of London, running between Aldwych and High Holborn. The northern part is in the borough of Camden and the southern part in the City of Westminster. Notable landmarks ...

, where he appeared with Maria Malibran in Bellini's '' La Sonnambula'', 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 si ...

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

Don Giovanni ''Don Giovanni'' (; K. 527; Vienna (1788) 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 Spanis ...

'' in February 1833 was successful, and in 1835 he was in Beethoven's '' Fidelio'', as Rocco. In May 1836, appearing with Maria Malibran, he created the role of Synnelet in Balfe's '' The Maid of Artois'' at Drury Lane, and in August 1838 he created the part of the baron in George Alexander Macfarren'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'' 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 Bishop (9 January 181018 March 1884) was an English operatic soprano. She sang in many countries on every continent, and was 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 may refer to: Religion *'' Creatio ex nihilo'', the concept that matter was created by God out of nothing *Creation myth, a religious story of the origin of the world and how people first came to inhabit it *Creationism, the belief that ...

'', 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. 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 British male opera singers