David Tidboald

David Tidboald (1926-) musician, conductor

Biography

David Peter Tidboald was born on 23 September 1926 in Plymouth, England. In 1947, he enrolled at the London College of Music.

Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance

In 1957, Tidboald toured South Africa for three months with Beryl Grey and Oleg Briansky under the auspices of the African Consolidated Theatres.

Tidboald returned to South Africa in January and February 1960 as musical director of Laurie Johnson’s musical, Lock Up Your Daughters (with Leonard Schach as producer), at the Hofmeyr Theatre. The Brendan Behan play, The Hostage, also produced by Schach, in which Tidboald was the pianist, was presented concurrently.

In August 1960 Tidboald was appointed conductor for the Cape Town Municipal Orchestra. In March 1962 Tidboald was appointed as lecturer in conducting at the SACM. His responsibilities included conducting the UCT Orchestra and opera productions at the Little Theatre.

Tidboald left for England in October 1965 and until 1970 he conducted the LSO, the LPO, the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, the Liverpool Symphony Orchestra, and especially the Bournemouth Orchestra. On occasion he returned to South Africa to conduct various opera productions of the Cape Performing Arts Board (CAPAB), in conjunction with the UCT Opera Company, at the Alhambra Theatre in 1968 and 1969. He also conducted the SABC Orchestra. In 1970 he was appointed as musical director of the CAPAB Orchestra.

As conductor

Tidboald conducted the following operas for the UCT Opera Company: The Portuguese Inn, La serva padrona, Tosca, Otello, Turandot

For CAPAB: The Bartered Bride.

Awards

In 1987 he was awarded an honorary Doctorate from the University of Natal.

Sources

Sjoerd Alkema. 2012. "Conductors of the Cape Town Municipal Orchestra, 1914-1965: a historical perspective". University of Cape Town. Unpublished PhD thesis.

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