Jon Vickers ― A Hero's Life

In this first biography of Vickers, Jeannie Williams provides a captivating and revealing portrait of a very private, deeply religious man and complex artist who baffled and often enraged his friends and colleagues.
Drawing on scores of interviews with those who knew and worked with Vickers, Williams traces his life from boyhood in western Canada to schooling in Toronto, his debut at Covent Garden, his tenure at the Royal Opera House, and his celebrated appearances on the world's major opera stages. She discusses his signature roles, including details of a little-known Otello in South Africa, over-the-edge performances, and stormy battles with conductors and directors. In addition, she details Vickers's controversial withdrawal from Tannhauser, his ongoing friction with BBC-TV, his conflicted relationship with his native Canada, and his choices in repertory. Williams also illuminates the paradoxes in the worldview of a man who might have been a preacher or a prime minister if he had not been blessed with such a remarkable musical talent.

Jeannie Williams is a staff columnist and founding editor for USA Today.