Reeves

Reeves, JOHN SIMS, one of England's greatest singers, was born at Shooter's Hill, Kent, on 26th September 1818. At fourteen he was a clever performer on various instruments, and was appointed organist and director of the choir in the church of North Cray in Kent. He first appeared in public as a baritone at Newcastle in 1839. This début was a complete success; and he acquired fresh fame, but as a tenor, in London. In order to perfect his voice and style he studied at Paris (1843) for some time, and then appeared at Milan in the tenor part of Edgaro in Lucia di Lammermoor. He returned to England in 1847, and, coming out at Drury Lane as Edgaro, was immediately recognised as the first English tenor, a position he maintained for many years. He was engaged in 1848 at Her Majesty's Theatre, and in 1851 sang as first tenor at the Italian Opera in Paris. After ceasing to sing on the stage (after 1860) he became popular all over the country as a ballad-singer at concerts. He especially excelled in singing oratorio parts, his first oratorio rôle having been in Judas Maccabees in 1848; from that year onwards he sang almost regularly at the great annual musical festivals. He sang until 1891, and died 25th October 1900. On 11th May 1891 he made 'positively his last appearance.' See Life by Sutherland Edwards (1881), and My Jubilee, by Sims Reeves (1889).