William Candidus

The son of German immigrants, he was trained as an instrumentalist and played cornet in a military band, then worked for the Steinway piano production, and eventually married Wilhelmina Steinway, the company owner's sister.

Singing in amateur choirs was Candidus' hobby. Eventually, though, he studied voice in Berlin, and made his debut in 1874 in Weimar.

He spent his career between Germany and the USA, and between freelancing and being a permanent member of a troupe (notably in Frankfurt from 1880 to 1885 and again in 1889/90, his very last season as a singer). His most important roles were Arnold, Manrico, Radames, Edgardo, Gounod's and Berlioz' Faust, Don José, Énée, Karloo (in Patrie), Gérald and Rubinstein's Néron. He was also a noted oratorio singer, particulary in Bach's St. Matthew's Passion.

Reference 1: William Steinway's diary, reference 2: Kutsch & Riemens