Editing Lauritz Melchior (section)

===Early years===
Born '''Lauritz Lebrecht Hommel Melchior''' in [[Copenhagen]], [[Denmark]], the young Melchior was a [[Treble voice|treble]] and amateur singer before starting his first operatic vocal studies under Paul Bang at the Royal Opera School in Copenhagen at the age of 18 in 1908.

His sister, Agnes Melchior (1883–1945), was a blind Danish [[Esperantist]].

In 1913, Melchior made his debut as a baritone in the secondary role of Silvio in [[Ruggero Leoncavallo]]'s ''[[Pagliacci]]'' at the [[Det Kongelige Teater|Royal Theatre]] (Det Kongelige Teater) in Copenhagen. He sang mostly secondary baritone and bass roles for the Royal Danish Opera and provincial Scandinavian opera companies for the next few years.

[[File:Royal Danish Theatre, Copenhagen.jpg|thumb|The Royal Danish Theatre, where Melchior made his operatic debut]]

One night, while on tour, Melchior helped an ailing soprano performing in ''[[Il trovatore]]'' by singing a high C in the Act IV Leonara and De Luna duet. The American contralto [[Sara Cahier|Mme Charles Cahier]], who was singing the role of Azucena, was impressed by the tone she had heard and gave her young colleague sound advice: he was no baritone, but a tenor "with the lid on." She even contacted the Royal Opera pleading that Melchior be given a sabbatical and a stipend to restudy his voice. This he did during 1917 and 1918, studying with the noted Danish tenor [[Vilhelm Herold]] (1865–1937) who had sung Wagnerian roles at [[Covent Garden Opera|Covent Garden]], the [[Chicago Opera]] and elsewhere from 1900 to 1915. This proved to be a turning point in Melchior's career. His high baritone voice was recast into that of a low tenor, but with a strong high extension. His second debut was on 8 October 1918 in the title role of ''[[Tannhäuser (opera)|Tannhäuser]]'', also at the Royal Opera in Copenhagen.

In 1920, Melchior visited England to sing in an experimental radio broadcast to the Scandinavian capital cities from the [[Guglielmo Marconi|Marconi]] station in [[Chelmsford, England|Chelmsford]]. From 1920, Melchior was a frequent performer in London, appearing at [[Henry Wood|Sir Henry J. Wood]]'s [[The Proms|Prom Concerts]] in [[Queen's Hall]].

In September 1920, when he was singing the Steersman's Song, from Wagner's ''[[Der fliegende Holländer]]'' at a Prom Concert, he met the popular novelist and passionate Wagnerite [[Hugh Walpole]] and the two quickly became firm friends, travelling together and staying in each other's houses. On a visit to Walpole's cottage in [[Polperro]] Melchior "caused a sensation by singing at a concert in the village", and later on a visit to Helston he and Walpole both took part in the [[Floral Dance]]. In December 1921 on a visit with Walpole to his (Walpole's) parents in Edinburgh, Melchior gave a concert in the Usher Hall. Walpole provided the fledgling [[Heldentenor]] with financial aid in February 1922, paying in advance two-thirds of the fees for his studies under [[Victor Beigel]]. In 1923, Walpole gave Melchior a further £800, enabling him to continue his studies with [[Ernst Grenzebach]] and the legendary dramatic soprano of the [[Vienna Court Opera]], [[Anna von Mildenburg|Anna Bahr von Mildenburg]].<ref name="Walpole">{{cite book|last=Hart-Davis|first=Rupert|title=Hugh Walpole|year=1985|publisher=Hamish Hamilton|isbn=978-0-241-11406-3|pages=197, 207, 218, 232, 264}}</ref>