08/19/2026
“Vickers was a PHENOMENON.”
Born in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, on October 29, 1926, Canadian tenor Jon Vickers became one of the most acclaimed opera performers of the 20th century.
After moving to Winnipeg, Vickers was encouraged to pursue singing and received a scholarship to study with Toronto teacher George Lambert. He soon performed in oratorios, on CBC radio and television, and with the Opera Festival, the precursor to the Canadian Opera Company.
In 1957, Vickers made his debut with London's Royal Opera at Covent Garden. Within four years, he had sung in every major opera theatre, becoming renowned for the power of his voice and performances known for their dramatic intensity, sincerity, and diction.
After three decades performing around the world, Vickers gave his final public performance in Kitchener in May 1988, singing the second act of Parsifal. He never sang in public again.
In 2015, Opera Canada remembered Vickers as “one of the greatest singing actors of all time” and “a true phenomenon.”
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Images from the Summer 2015 issue of Opera Canada magazine. Original article by Carl Morey.
1. Jon Vickers as Otello. Photo by Angus McBean.
2. Article opener from Opera Canada, Summer 2015. Art direction and design by Fresh Art & Design Inc.
3. Jon Vickers as Don José, Joan Patenaude as Micaëla, and Mignon Dunn (background) as Carmen in Carmen. Photo by Alex Gray.
4. Opera Canada page featuring photographs of Jon Vickers. Individual image credits appear on the original page.
