Turp studied voice in Canada, then in Italy on a Québec government grant (1949). Back home, he made
his debut in 1950 as an operetta singer (with the Variétés Lyriques in Montréal) and did also a lot
of radio and TV work. In 1956, he sang Cavaradossi, Rodolfo and Roméo in New Orleans, from 1956 to 1959 Jason
(Médée by Cherubini), Cavaradossi, Fenton and Macduff in Montréal.
From 1960, he was at Covent Garden in London for eight years, singing Edgardo (which was his debut role there on 5 February
1960, with Joan Sutherland as Lucia), Turiddu, Massenet's des Grieux, Rodolfo, Pinkerton, Cavaradossi, Alfredo and Rinuccio,
among others; in 1961, he also appeared at the Glyndebourne Festival. He was Julien and Werther at the Paris
Opéra-Comique from 1962 to 1968, Edgardo at the Opéra in 1962, Werther at the Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona
in 1963. Werther was his most important role, he sang it more than 500 times.
He also returned regularly to Montréal and Toronto, and made guest appearances in Rio de Janeiro, Lisbon and
Marseille, among others. In 1973, he was Hoffmann at the New York City Opera, in 1976
Don Carlos in the original French version on the BBC. He sang his last performance in 1983, as Macduff in Montréal.
From 1979 to 1989, he taught at the Conservatoire de musique de Québec. His son Richard Turp was a tenor, as well.
Reference 1, reference 2: Kutsch &
Riemens, reference 3: Art Lyrique Français
