{{Short description|Australian bass baritone (1885–1964)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} '''Frederic''' or '''Frederick Redmond Collier''' (5 October 1885 – 14 October 1964)<ref name=adb>{{cite book|author=Sally O'Neill |title=Australian Dictionary of Biography: Collier, Frederick Redmond (1885–1964) |publisher=National Centre of Biography, Australian National University |url=https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/collier-frederick-redmond-5730/text9697 |year=1981 |access-date=8 April 2022}}</ref> was an Australian bass baritone who had an international career in grand opera.

== History == Collier was born to Catherine Collier, née Redmond (died 21 August 1925)<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article243628190 |title=Family Notices |newspaper=The Herald (Melbourne) |issue=15,057 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=22 August 1925 |access-date=8 April 2022 |page=5 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> and Daniel Henry Collier (died 9 November 1923)<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1989304 |title=Family Notices |newspaper=The Argus (Melbourne) |issue=24,107 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=10 November 1923 |access-date=8 April 2022 |page=17 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> at their home "Rotherhithe", Easey Street, Collingwood, Victoria.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article197029259 |title=Family Notices |newspaper=The Age |issue=9561 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=10 October 1885 |access-date=8 April 2022 |page=5 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> His father had a coach building business at 225 Johnston Street, Collingwood.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article197327507 |title=Situations Vacant |newspaper=The Age |issue=10,668 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=3 May 1889 |access-date=8 April 2022 |page=8 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>

Collier had a fine baritone voice, and was a member of the choir of St Philip's Church of England, Collingwood, and took lessons from organist Arthur Nickson. From 1909 to 1919 he was a soloist at St Patrick's (Catholic) Cathedral.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article237501479 |title=Eminent Artists Over Air |newspaper=The Labor Daily |issue=3663 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=2 September 1935 |access-date=8 April 2022 |page=8 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>

In 1908 he competed successfully in a vocal competition run by the Australian Natives Association at the Athenaeum Hall, Melbourne.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article10677921 |title=A.N.A. Competitions |newspaper=The Argus (Melbourne) |issue=19,257 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=7 April 1908 |access-date=8 April 2022 |page=8 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article10670455 |title=A.N.A. Competitions |newspaper=The Argus (Melbourne) |issue=19,264 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=15 April 1908 |access-date=8 April 2022 |page=4 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> Two years later he married a fellow-competitor, Elsy Treweek (often spelled "Elsie"). They would later appear together in concerts.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article7240596 |title=Music and Drama |newspaper=The Argus (Melbourne) |issue=21,122 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=6 April 1914 |access-date=8 April 2022 |page=10 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>

In 1919 he joined Frank Rigo's Grand Opera Company, appearing in ''La bohème'' alongside Guido Cacciali and A. C. Bartleman, with Vittorio Lois as Rodolfo. This company, which previously used an English libretto, had moved towards the Italian, only Collier, as Schaunard, singing in English.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article148562663 |title=Princess Theatre |newspaper=Table Talk |issue=1758 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=3 April 1919 |access-date=8 April 2022 |page=25 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>

In 1921 he left for London, and in 1922 was appointed principal bass-baritone with the British National Opera.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4700896 |title=Personal |newspaper=The Argus (Melbourne) |issue=23,570 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=18 February 1922 |access-date=8 April 2022 |page=18 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> He returned to Melbourne in 1934, and in January 1935 played Mephistopheles to Browning Mummery's Faust at Sir Benjamin Fuller's Tivoli Theatre, Sydney.

In 1937 he played in ''Elija'' with the Melbourne Philharmonic Society under Bernard Heinze, Essie Ackland's first appearance in opera since her return to Australia.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article205612167 |title=Amusements |newspaper=The Age |issue=25,566 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=25 March 1937 |access-date=8 April 2022 |page=20 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> Later that year he gave live concerts with Stella Power, broadcast on ABC radio.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article28321526 |title=The Radio |newspaper=The Camperdown Chronicle |volume=LIX |issue=7003 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=9 December 1937 |access-date=8 April 2022 |page=3 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>

== Family == Collier married the soprano Elsy Treweek (died 3 November 1953) on 13 January 1910.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article245437550 |title=Silver Wedding |newspaper=The Herald (Melbourne) |issue=17,991 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=12 January 1935 |access-date=8 April 2022 |page=34 |via=National Library of Australia}} Collier is here spelled "Frederic".</ref> They had a daughter on 5 November 1910.

A brother, W. G. Collier, was also a fine vocalist, a tenor trained by Arthur Nickson and A. C. Bartleman.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article242243476 |title=Music and Musicians |newspaper=The Herald (Melbourne) |issue=13,958 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=6 December 1920 |access-date=8 April 2022 |page=9 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>

He was not related to Marie Collier.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article49239054 |title=Talk of the Town |newspaper=The Barrier Miner |volume=LXIV |issue=17,691 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=21 March 1952 |access-date=7 April 2022 |page=2 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>

== References == {{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Collier, Fred}} Category:1885 births Category:1964 deaths Category:Australian bass-baritones Category:Australian operatic baritones Category:Australian expatriates in the United Kingdom Category:20th-century Australian male singers