Mr. Charles Santley, 'Student and Singer' Baritone

Sir Charles Santley (1834-1922), Singer, was born in Liverpool, the son of William Santley, an organist and teacher of music. He was educated at the Liverpool Institute and, when he was fifteen, was admitted to the Liverpool Philharmonic Society where he developed his baritone voice. In 1855, Santley went to Milan to study with Gaetano Nava. He made his operatic debut in Pavia, Italy, in 1857 in the bass role of Doctor Grenvil in 'La Traviata'. That same year he returned to England where he made his English debut at Her Majesty's Theatre in 1859 in a production of 'Dinorah' with the Pyne-Harrison Company, with whom he worked until 1863. Santley's most famous performance was that of Valentine in an English production of 'Faust' at Her Majesty's in 1863. During his operatic career, the singer worked with the Carl Rosa Opera Company, John Hollingshead, and Pyne-Harrison touring around England as well as travelling to Dublin, Milan, Barcelona and America. After retiring from opera in 1876, Santley sang in concert, performing at ceremonial events in England and also touring Australia (1889-90), New Zealand and South Africa (1893 and 1903). He was awarded the Gold Medal of the Royal Philharmonic Society in 1871 and, in 1887, Pope Leo XIII made him a Knight Commander of the Order of St. Gregory the Great. Charles Santley was knighted in his jubilee year as a singer (1907). He was universally praised for his excellent voice, but many criticised his stage skills. George Bernard Shaw said 'that he was the best baritone singer with whom the London public is familiar and then added that acting is evidently no part of his vocation.'

He was once guilty of a book; but he has nothing of the shoddy school about him.... He can still give 'To Anthea' with a fervour that the heartiest of troubadours might envy.

Vanity Fair, 'Men of the Day', No. 835, 1902.