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William McAlpine

1922 – 2004

British tenor

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About William McAlpine

Lived 1922 – 2004 (aged 81). William McAlpine was a British opera singer.

William McAlpine (3 December 1922 – 2 February 2004) was a leading British tenor during the 1950s and 1960s. He created roles in two operas by Benjamin Britten— A Novice in Billy Budd and The Spirit of the Masque in Gloriana. He also sang Andres in the UK premiere of Berg's Wozzeck.

McAlpine was born in Stenhousemuir, Scotland and initially worked as bricklayer before studying at the Guildhall School of Music. He made his stage debut in 1951 as the third Jew in a revival of Richard Strauss's Salome at the Royal Opera House, and went on to sing several roles there and at the Sadlers Wells company, which he joined in 1956 as a principal tenor. He later sang with the Scottish Opera and Glyndebourne Festival Opera as well as in Berlin, Prague, and Paris. After his retirement from the stage, he taught singing at the Guildhall School of Music. He died in Surrey at the age of 81 following a heart attack after one of his teaching sessions at Guildhall.

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Important facts

Birth century
Occupation
Education
Guildhall School of Music and Drama
Employers
Guildhall School of Music and Drama

People in William McAlpine's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped William McAlpine's

Frequently asked questions

Who was William McAlpine?

British tenor

When was William McAlpine born?

William McAlpine was born on 3 December 1922.

When did William McAlpine die?

William McAlpine died on 2 February 2004 in London.

What was William McAlpine's occupation?

William McAlpine was an opera singer.

What nationality was William McAlpine?

William McAlpine was British.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: William McAlpine

· Wikidata: Q16016215

· DBpedia: William McAlpine (tenor)

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). William McAlpine. https://biography.guide/william-mcalpine/

MLA: "William McAlpine." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/william-mcalpine/.

Chicago: "William McAlpine." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/william-mcalpine/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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