Opera Singer, Teacher, Medical Pioneer. The child of one noted singer and the elder brother of two more, he is remembered as probably the premiere vocal pedagogue of the 19th. century. Born Manuel Patricio Rodriguez Garcia in Zafra, Spain, he received early voice training from his father, the legendary tenor Manuel Garcia. Though not destined to gain the performing renown of his sisters Maria Malibran and Pauline Garcia-Viardot he was a baritone of note, his roles including Figaro in Rossini's "The Barber of Seville" and the comic valet Leporello from Mozart's "Don Giovanni". After singing during his father's 1826 American tour he left the stage for what was probably his true calling, that of voice teacher. From 1830 to 1848 he was a professor at the Paris Conservatory then was to hold the same position at London's Royal Academy of Music from 1845 until his 1895 retirement, along the way publishing the definitive two-volume "Traite complet de l'Art du Chant" (1840 and 1847) and several articles. Garcia's students over his long career included Jenny Lind, Mathilde Marchesi who was herself a celebrated voice teacher, Camille Everardi, and Christine Nilsson. In 1854 he invented the laryngoscope and published his observations made with it the next year. The device which allows visualization of the vocal cords remains in use by Ear, Nose, and Throat physicians the world-over. Garcia originally intended merely to create a teaching aid and whether he foresaw its medical utility remains unclear, nevertheless the University of Konigsberg awarded him an honourary M.D. for his contribution to medicine. His tombstone contains a partial list of his famous students.
Opera Singer, Teacher, Medical Pioneer. The child of one noted singer and the elder brother of two more, he is remembered as probably the premiere vocal pedagogue of the 19th. century. Born Manuel Patricio Rodriguez Garcia in Zafra, Spain, he received early voice training from his father, the legendary tenor Manuel Garcia. Though not destined to gain the performing renown of his sisters Maria Malibran and Pauline Garcia-Viardot he was a baritone of note, his roles including Figaro in Rossini's "The Barber of Seville" and the comic valet Leporello from Mozart's "Don Giovanni". After singing during his father's 1826 American tour he left the stage for what was probably his true calling, that of voice teacher. From 1830 to 1848 he was a professor at the Paris Conservatory then was to hold the same position at London's Royal Academy of Music from 1845 until his 1895 retirement, along the way publishing the definitive two-volume "Traite complet de l'Art du Chant" (1840 and 1847) and several articles. Garcia's students over his long career included Jenny Lind, Mathilde Marchesi who was herself a celebrated voice teacher, Camille Everardi, and Christine Nilsson. In 1854 he invented the laryngoscope and published his observations made with it the next year. The device which allows visualization of the vocal cords remains in use by Ear, Nose, and Throat physicians the world-over. Garcia originally intended merely to create a teaching aid and whether he foresaw its medical utility remains unclear, nevertheless the University of Konigsberg awarded him an honourary M.D. for his contribution to medicine. His tombstone contains a partial list of his famous students.
Bio by: Bob Hufford
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