WNO pay tribute to opera star John (From Penarth Times)

WNO pay tribute to opera star John

A CHORUS from Welsh National Opera paid a final musical tribute to a Penarth opera singer, who died recently after a battle against cancer.

International tenor John Harris, who lived in Queens Road, Penarth, was a member of Welsh National Opera and performed at some of the world's most famous opera houses during an illustrious career.

Members of Welsh National Opera performed a musical tribute at the funeral, which was held last month at Albert Road Methodist Church.

John, who was from Stourbridge in the West Midlands, moved to Wales to join the Welsh National Opera in the early 1970s after starting a career as a lab technician.

He was invited to take the part of Mime in a WNO production of Wagner's Ring Cycle in the 1980s, which proved to be a defining moment in his career.

John will also be remembered for his performances with the WNO as Goro in Madame Butterfly and as Monostatos in Mozart's Magic Flute.

Owing to his success as Mime, in 1984 he decided to work as a freelancer after 11 years as a member of the WNO chorus.

John went on to record with Pavarotti and to perform at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden with English National Opera and at venues around the world including New York, Paris, Milan, Rome and Tokyo.

He was a keen supporter of amateur musical groups in the Penarth area and performed as a guest professional with Penarth Male Voice Choir on a number of occasions.