Walter Fredericks

right|thumb|Walter Fredericks in 1958 '''Walter Fredericks''' (April 16, 1916 – July 24, 2000) was an American operatic tenor and concert singer active from the late 1940s until at least the 1980s.<ref name=Ocean1>''The Ocean City Sentinel-Ledger'', Thursday, November 13, 1980, sec. 1, p. 8</ref>

==Biography== A native of Camden, New Jersey, Fredericks worked as a machinist before friends encouraged him to audition for the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia, where he won a scholarship.<ref name=Titusville>''Titusville Herald'', Wednesday, April 16, 1963, p. 3</ref> While traveling with the Ice Follies, he started his operatic career in 1947, performing with the San Francisco Opera. Soon maestro Gaetano Merola of the SFO convinced patrons to award the singer with a year of additional study in Italy.<ref name=Titusville/> Upon his return to the United States, Fredericks appeared with many of the country's foremost opera companies including those in Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, New Orleans, and New York.<ref>''The Michigan Daily'', Wednesday, December 2, 1953, p. 2</ref> He had also been a guest soloist of many of symphony orchestras throughout the U.S. and made radio, television, and motion picture appearances.<ref name=Titusville/> Fredericks also performed throughout New Jersey, in Chicago,<ref>{{cite web|title=The Life and Times of Gloria Lane, Part III|url=http://listserv.bccls.org/cgi-bin/wa?A2=OPERA-L;BrCsnQ;20010823211118-0400D}}</ref> Minneapolis ,<ref name=Ocean2>''The Ocean City Sentinel-Ledger'', Thursday, May 6, 1971, sec. 2, p. 6</ref> Detroit and Dearborn, Kansas City, Tucson, and many cities in California,<ref name=Ocean3>''The Ocean City Sentinel-Ledger'', Friday, June 24, 1977, sec. 2, p. 6</ref> and toured to Canada, Mexico, and Central and South America.<ref name=Ocean2/> During his travels throughout the United States he performed programs of sacred music at many churches and seminaries.<ref name=Ocean3/> Fredericks's operatic repertoire of over 30 roles included Lt. Pinkerton in Puccini's ''Madama Butterfly'', Pollione in Bellini's ''Norma'', Cassio in Verdi's ''Otello'', Canio in Leoncavallo's ''Pagliacci'', Ismaele in Verdi's ''Nabucco'', Alfredo in Verdi's ''La traviata'', Don Jose in Bizet's ''Carmen'', Manrico in Verdi's ''Il trovatore'', and Avito in Montemezzi's ''L'amore dei tre re''.<ref>{{cite web|title=Opera In Philadelphia: Performance Chronology 1950 - 1974|url=http://frankhamilton.org/ph/ph2.pdf}}</ref> Fredericks started the annual Christmas Carolfest on the Music Pier in Ocean City, New Jersey, in the mid-1970s and directed it for several years until his death.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oceancityvacation.com/blog/carolfest-tis-the-season-set-get-first-night-buttons-now/|title=Carolfest, Tis the Season Set, Get First Night Buttons Now!|date=December 18, 2008}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fredericks, Walter}} Category:20th-century American male opera singers Category:American operatic tenors Category:Musicians from the San Francisco Bay Area Category:1916 births Category:2000 deaths Category:Singers from California Category:Classical musicians from California Category:Musicians from Camden, New Jersey