Roy Henderson
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Roy Henderson (July 4, 1899 – March 16, 2000) was a popular British baritone in the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s. He is more often noted as the teacher of Kathleen Ferrier, but nonetheless, he was a superb vocalist.
Born in Shropshire, Henderson served in World War I, afterwards entering the Royal Academy of Music. He received his big break in 1925, when he performed in Delius's A Mass of Life. But, he will be for ever immortalized for his rendition of Zarathustra, and the song was virtually his own for nearly 20 years.
Henderson's operatic performances were many. He starred in such notewothy operas as: Idyll (1933) and Four Tudor Portraits (1936) by Vaughan Williams; and Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro and Don Giovanni, the last two being filmed by EMI. In 1938 he was one of the original 16 soloists in Serenade to Music.
Henderson retired from the stage in 1952 and devoted nearly all of his time to teaching and writing music.
Renewed interest in him was revived in 1999, when he celebrated his 100th birthday. There was even an album released for the occasion, entitled Roy Henderson: A Centenary Recital.