Alan Crofoot

Alan Crofoot (June 2, 1929 - March 5, 1979) was a Canadian operatic Heldentenor and character tenor specialist, as well as actor, who is best remembered as the host of Mr Piper, a children's television series made in 1963. It was originally shown by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, and also became well-known in the United Kingdom. Crofoot hosted the show dressed as a Pied Piper, with a flower in his hat.

Crofoot was born in Toronto, Canada. He appeared in stage productions of musicals such as Man of La Mancha, in London's West End, and Oliver! on Broadway.

His operatic career began at the Canadian Opera, as Spoletta in Tosca, in 1956, and included creating the role of Josiah Creach in the world premiere of Carlisle Floyd's Markheim, with Norman Treigle and Audrey Schuh, in New Orleans (1966), as well as appearances at the New York City Opera (Herod in Salome, opposite Maralin Niska, in 1975) and the Metropolitan Opera (The Bartered Bride, directed by John Dexter, in 1978).

He committed suicide in Dayton, Ohio, at the age of forty-nine, while preparing a production of Salome.

Discography

• Offenbach: Orphée aux enfers (Faris, 1960) EMI
• Floyd: Markheim (Schuh, Treigle; Andersson, 1966) VAI
• Strauss: Elektra (Borkh, Schuh, Resnik, Rayson; Andersson, 1966) VAI

Videography

• Smetana: The Bartered Bride (Stratas, Gedda, Vickers, Talvela; Levine, Dexter, 1978)

External links

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