Remastering the rare works of Irish-born tenor John McCormack

Alan O’Riordan on the quest by a Cork collector to remaster rare works by John McCormack

AFTER winning a gold medal in the Feis Ceoil in 1903, funds were raised for the tenor John McCormack to travel to Italy, where he would hone his talents under the tuition of retired opera singer Vincenzo Sabatini.

From there, McCormack went to London, where, in 1906, he made his operatic debut at Covent Garden in Cavalleria rusticana. At 22, he was the youngest lead tenor the theatre had engaged.