Harry Mossfield

Mossfield, Harry

Harry Mossfield. Baritone, b Sydney, Australia, 7 Jul 1919. He was known as a singer in Australia when he emigrated in 1952 to Vancouver. Moving in 1955 to Toronto, he performed 1956-8 with the COC (his roles including Scarpia in the 1957 Tosca); studied at the Royal Cons Opera School (University of Toronto Opera Division); appeared in 1956, 1960, and 1961 at the Stratford Festival; and sang with the TSO, the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, the Regina Symphony Orchestra, and the Ottawa Civic Symphony Orchestra. He studied briefly in Italy and sang 1963-5 at Sadler's Wells and on the BBC. In 1967 he toured Canada presenting 'One Hundred Years of Musical Comedy.' The following year he formed a touring trio called the Western Savoyards with the soprano Christine Anton, the tenor Edward Greenhalgh, and the pianist Eugene Deagle. He settled in Vancouver, teaching privately and touring twice yearly. With his wife, Pearl Kerr, a concert pianist, he gave many CBC broadcasts. He drew his repertoire largely from Gilbert & Sullivan, Puccini, Britten, and Johann Strauss. In 1991 he was retired and living in Vancouver.