The British Musical Biography

[E] Matthison, Arthur, vocalist, actor and
author, born in Birmingham, January 31,
1826. He studied singing in Italy as a tenor,
but his voice afterwards changed to a bari-
tone of rich quality ; and he had the rare
experience of singing, at different periods,
the tenor and the bass solos in the " Messiah."
On the stage he took singing parts, but acted
in melodrama at Drury Lane and elsewhere.
For several years he was at Booth's Theatre,
New York. He was a man of versatile
ability, his dramatic works, including
" Harold," a five-act drama, and a most
successful skit on the hysterical drama,
" More than ever" (1882), exceeding twenty
in number ; and he also wrote the English
versions of Balfe's " Talismano," Rossini's
" Mose in Egitto " (for the Sacred Harmonic
production of the work as an oratorio, May,
1878), " Mignon," and " La Dame Blanche,"
for Carl Rosa, the libretto of " Rebekah " for
Joseph Barnby, and other pieces. His poem,
"The little Hero," was set by Michael May-
brick. A volume of Sketches and Essays
was published by J. Camden Hotten, London,
n.d. He died in London, May 21, 1883. His
younger brother, Henry Matthison, too-
much engaged in official life in Birmingham
to enter the musical profession, was for many
years in request as a concert singer, having
a sweet tenor voice. He married the Welsh
contralto, Kate Wynne (q.v.), sister of Edith
Wynne.

entry id: 276-L-38