A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Templeton, John
TEMPLETON, John, tenor singer, born at Riccarton, Kilmarnock, July 30, 1802. At the age of fourteen he made his first appearance in Edinburgh, and continued to sing in public until his sixteenth year, when his voice broke. Appointed precentor in Dr. Brown's church, Edinburgh, at the age of twenty, he began to attract attention, until Scotland became too limited for his ambition, and he started for London, where he received instruction from Blewitt in thorough bass, and from Welsh, De Pinna, and Tom Cooke in singing. In vocalisation, power, compass, flexibility, richness of quality, complete command over the different registers, Templeton displayed the perfection of art; though not remarkable for fulness of tone in the lower notes, his voice was highly so in the middle and upper ones, sustaining the A and B♭ in alt with much ease and power. The blending of the chest register with his splendid falsetto was so perfect as to make it difficult to detect the break. He now resolved to abandon his prospects in Scotland and take to the stage. His first theatrical appearance was made at Worthing, as Dermot in 'The Poor Soldier,' in July 1828. This brought about engagements at the Theatre Royal, Brighton, Southampton and Portsmouth, and Drury Lane. He made his first appearance in London, Oct. 13, 1831, as Mr. Belville in 'Rosina.' Two days later he appeared as Young Meadows in 'Love in a Village,' Mr. Wood taking the part of Hawthorn, with Mrs. Wood (Miss Paton) as Rosetta. After performing for a few months in stock pieces, he created the part of Reimbaut in Meyerbeer's 'Robert le Diable' on its first performance in this country, Feb. 20, 1832. He appeared as Lopez in Spohr's 'Der Alchymist' when first produced (March 20, 1832), Bishop's 'Tyrolese Peasant' (May 8, 1832), and John Barnett's 'Win her and wear her' (Dec. 18, 1832); but the first production of 'Don Juan' at Drury Lane, Feb. 5, 1833, afforded Templeton a great opportunity. Signor Begrez, after studying the part of Don Ottavio for eight weeks, threw it up a week before the date announced for production. Templeton undertook the character, and a brilliant success followed. Braham, who played Don Juan, highly complimented Templeton on his execution of 'Il mio tesoro,' and Tom Cooke called him 'the tenor with the additional keys.'
Madame Malibran, in 1833, chose him as her tenor, and 'Malibran's tenor' he remained throughout her brief but brilliant career. On the production of 'La Sonnambula,' at Drury Lane, May 1, 1833, Templeton's Elvino was no less successful than Malibran's Amina. After the performance Bellini embraced him, and, with many compliments, promised to write a part that would immortalise him. 'The Devil's Bridge,' 'The Students of Jena' (first time June 4, 1833), 'The Marriage of Figaro,' 'John of Paris,' etc., gave fresh opportunities for Templeton to appear with Malibran, and with marked success. In Auber's 'Gustavus the Third,' produced at Covent Garden, Nov. 13, 1833, he made another great success as Colonel Lillienhorn. During the season the opera was repeated one hundred times. Alfred Bunn, then manager of both theatres, so arranged that Templeton, after playing in 'La Sonnambula' or 'Gustavus the Third' at Covent Garden, had to make his way to Drury Lane to fill the rôle of 'Masaniello'—meeting with equal success at both houses.
On the return of Madame Malibran to England in 1835, the production of 'Fidelio' and of Balfe's 'Maid of Artois' (May 27, 1836) brought her and Templeton again together. July 16, 1836, was fated to be their last appearance together. At the end of the performance Malibran removed the jewelled betrothal ring from her finger which she had so often worn as Amina, and presented it to Templeton as a memento of respect for his talents; and it is still cherished by the veteran tenor as a sacred treasure. Templeton sustained the leading tenor parts in Auber's 'Bronze Horse' (1836), in Herold's 'Corsair' (1836), Rossini's 'Siege of Corinth' (1836), in Balfe's 'Joan of Arc' (1837) and 'Diadeste' (1838), in Mozart's 'Magic Flute' (1838), Benedict's 'Gipsy's Warning' (1838), H. Phillips' 'Harvest Queen' (1838), in Donizetti's 'Love Spell' (1839), and in 'La Favorita' (1843) on their first performance or introduction as English operas; altogether playing not less than eighty different leading tenor characters.
In 1836–37 Templeton made his first professional tour in Scotland and Ireland with great success. Returning to London, he retained his position for several years. In 1842 he visited Paris with Balfe, and received marked attention from Auber and other musical celebrities. The last twelve years of his professional career were chiefly devoted to the concert-room. In 1846 he starred the principal cities of America with his 'Templeton Entertainments,' in which were given songs illustrative of England, Scotland, and Ireland, and as a Scottish vocalist he sang himself into the hearts of his countrymen. With splendid voice, graceful execution, and exquisite taste, he excelled alike in the pathetic, the humorous, and the heroic; his rendering of 'My Nannie O,' 'Had I a cave,' 'Gloomy winter,' 'Jessie, the Flower o' Dunblane,' 'Corn Rigs,' 'The Jolly Beggar,' and 'A man's a man for a' that,' etc., left an impression not easily effaced. Mr. Templeton retired in 1852, and now enjoys a well-earned repose at New Hampton.