Leo Larsen has for a long time been considered a mystery tenor, and nobody has ever done any thorough research on him. But
some basic information is to be found.
Larsen was a pupil of the Dutch concert soprano and well-known teacher Everdiena Di Moorlag. He was a radio tenor on various
Dutch and Belgian programs, and quite well-known at his time. In public, he appeared exclusively as a concert singer, singing
oratorio, lieder as
well as operatic excerpts, often with amateur choral societies, in churches or inn halls, in places like Alkmaar, Den Helder,
Roermond, Wageningen, Schoorl, Bergen or Naarden: the deeper provinces of northern Holland, that is. I find references to Leo
Larsen from 1949 (when he was a beginner) to 1959.
References:
- Alkmaarsche Courant, various issues from 1949 to 1959, particularly important: 5 October 1950
- Bergensche bad-, duin- en boschbode, 12 August 1950
- De Duinstreek, various issues from 1950 to 1958
- Heldersche Courant, various issues from 1950 to 1955
- Nieuw Noordhollandsch Dagblad, various issues from 1949 to 1951
- Noordhollands Dagblad, various issues from 1954 to 1958
- De Vrije Alkmaarder, various issues from 1949 to 1950
- Toonkunstkoor Roermond