# Jean Cox > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Jean_Cox > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Jean_Cox.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Cox > Source revision: 1342908055 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{short description|American opera singer}} '''Jean Cox''' (January 16, 1922 – June 24, 2012) was an American [tenor](/source/tenor).{{cite web|url=http://auffuehrungsdatenbank.bayreuther-festspiele.de/fsdb/personen/58/index.htm|title="Jean Cox", biography and Bayreuth performances|publisher=[Bayreuth Festival](/source/Bayreuth_Festival)|language=German|accessdate=26 June 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171226010024/http://auffuehrungsdatenbank.bayreuther-festspiele.de/fsdb/personen/58/index.htm|archive-date=26 December 2017|url-status=dead}} ==Early years== Cox was born in [Gadsden, Alabama](/source/Gadsden%2C_Alabama). He served in the [United States Army Air Forces](/source/United_States_Army_Air_Forces) during World War II era as a pilot. After obtaining a degree in Music from the [University of Alabama](/source/University_of_Alabama), he studied singing with [Marie Sundelius](/source/Marie_Sundelius) at the [New England Conservatory](/source/New_England_Conservatory). He was subsequently awarded a [Fulbright Scholarship](/source/Fulbright_Program) which enabled him to study in [Rome](/source/Teatro_dell'Opera_di_Roma) for a year.''The 133rd performance at the Royal Opera House of Siegfried, Saturday Evening 11 October 1975.'' In-house theatre programme, The Royal Opera House Covent Garden. == Opera career == Cox made his Italian debut at the [Festival dei Due Mondi](/source/Festival_dei_Due_Mondi) in [Spoleto](/source/Spoleto), where he appeared as Rodolfo in ''[La bohème](/source/La_boh%C3%A8me)''. He then relocated to Germany, singing at [Kiel](/source/Opernhaus_Kiel), [Braunschweig](/source/Staatstheater_Braunschweig) and [Mannheim](/source/National_Theatre_Mannheim). He made his [Bayreuth](/source/Bayreuth_Festival) debut as the Steersman in ''[The Flying Dutchman](/source/The_Flying_Dutchman_(opera))'' in 1956.{{Cite news |last=WELT |date=2012-06-25 |title=Heldentenor: Jean Cox — Bayreuths gefeierter Siegfried ist tot |language=de |work=DIE WELT |url=https://www.welt.de/kultur/musik/article107266335/Jean-Cox-Bayreuths-gefeierter-Siegfried-ist-tot.html |access-date=2022-12-09}} He subsequently sang the heavier roles there in many seasons from 1967 until 1984, mainly Siegfried in ''[Siegfried](/source/Siegfried_(opera))'' and ''[Götterdämmerung](/source/G%C3%B6tterd%C3%A4mmerung)''. His international career extended mostly to Europe. He made his [Covent Garden](/source/Royal_Opera_House) debut in October 1975, singing the title role in Siegfried. His [Metropolitan Opera](/source/Metropolitan_Opera) debut came in April 1976, when he appeared as Walther von Stolzing in ''[Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg](/source/Die_Meistersinger_von_N%C3%BCrnberg)''.{{Cite web |title=Metropolitan Opera Association |url=http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/frame.htm |access-date=2022-12-09 |website=archives.metoperafamily.org |archive-date=2018-08-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180812164001/http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/frame.htm |url-status=dead }} In 1977 he was nominated [Kammersänger](/source/Kammers%C3%A4nger) by the city of Mannheim. He is known for [Heldentenor](/source/Heldentenor) roles including Siegfried, [Tristan](/source/Tristan_und_Isolde), [Walther](/source/Die_Meistersinger_von_N%C3%BCrnberg), [Lohengrin](/source/Lohengrin_(opera)), and [Tannhäuser](/source/Tannh%C3%A4user_(opera)). He also sang [Otello](/source/Otello) in Verdi's opera. ==Personal life and later years== Cox was married to the [mezzo-soprano](/source/mezzo-soprano) [Anna Reynolds](/source/Anna_Reynolds_(singer)), whom he had met at Bayreuth and with whom he later ran a successful academy for aspiring singers.{{Cite web |date=2014-04-17 |title=Anna Reynolds obituary |url=http://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/apr/17/anna-reynolds |access-date=2022-12-09 |website=the Guardian |language=en}} He died on June 24, 2012, in [Bayreuth](/source/Bayreuth), aged 90. ==Partial discography== *''Der fliegende Holländer'' (Daland's steersman). Bayreuth Festival, 1956, cond. [Joseph Keilberth](/source/Joseph_Keilberth). Audio 2xCD. Walhall WLCD0190. *''Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg'' (Walther von Stolzing). Bayreuth Festival, cond. [Silvio Varviso](/source/Silvio_Varviso). Audio 4xCD. Philips PHI 434611 FC. *"Der Ring des Nibelungen" 1977 Munich [conducted Sawallisch](/source/conducted_Sawallisch) complete live radio recording with Jean Cox as Siegfried OD 11681-12 Operadepot (2017) ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== * [http://www.bruceduffie.com/cox.html Interview with Jean Cox], March 13, 1988. (Portion originally published in ''Wagner News'' in January, 1992) * [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ka6gYXGWDQ MEISTERSINGER (YouTube) with Karl Ridderbusch] {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Cox, Jean}} Category:1922 births Category:2012 deaths Category:American operatic tenors Category:Heldentenors Category:Musicians from Gadsden, Alabama Category:United States Army Air Forces personnel of World War II {{US-opera-singer-stub}} --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Jean Cox](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Cox) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Cox?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.