Rippon, Michael (George) (1938– )

English bass-baritone. After study at the Royal Academy of Music, London he made his debut in 1963 with the Handel Opera Society as Nireno in Giulio Cesare. He sang with Welsh National Opera 1969–74 (notably as Leporello) and Glyndebourne 1970–73, as Mozart's Speaker and Bartolo. Modern repertory includes Henze's Cimarron and Merlin in the first performance of Hamilton's Lancelot (1985); he also sang in the first performances of Maxwell Davies' The Martyrdom of St Magnus (1977) and The Lighthouse (1980).