Adams, Charles R., son of Charles and Eliza Ann Adams, was born in Charlestown, Middlesex County, February 10, 1834.
His early education was received at the grammar school, Charlestown, and at Wesleyan Academy, Wilbraham.
He early developed musical talents, and his first teacher of vocal music was Mr. Edwin Bruce of Boston, then afterwards Mme. Arnoult, and for a number of years his voice was frequently heard in the concert halls of Boston and vicinity. During several years he sustained the tenor roles in the oratorio performance of the Handel and Haydn Society, to the satisfaction of the public, upon which his hold became very strong.
Having chosen music as his profession, Mr. Adams studied and traveled with Prof. Mulder, formerly one of the professors of the Royal Opera, Paris, and accompanied him to Europe. Prior to sailing for Europe they gave a series of concerts through the United States, which were very successful, the tour extending to Canada; and from St. John they sailed for Barbadoes, West Indies, giving concerts at all the islands. Mr. Adams afterwards went to London and Amsterdam, meeting at the latter place Professor Mulder, who had preceded him thither, and with him went on a concert tour through Holland, receiving at that time from Vienna an invitation to sing at the Austrian capital, in “Sonnambula: with Mlle. Artot. After learning the opera in three days, he made his first appearance in Vienna, which was a great success. Subsequently, through the influence of his instructor, Barbiere, he secured an engagement at the Imperial Opera House in Berlin.
After a tour in Russia, he returned to Vienna and accepted a three years’ engagement at Pesth, for the German Opera. He appeared at the Imperial Opera House in Berlin for three consecutive years, and the following nine years was the leading tenor at the Hofoper, in Vienna. During this time he sand in opera two seasons at the Covent Garden, London, one season at the Scala, Milan, and one at the Royal Opera, Madrid, as well as at the principal opera houses in Germany. He returned to America in 1877, appearing throughout the United States in German and Italian Opera.
A few years ago he settled in Boston as a teacher of vocal music, in which he has been eminently successful, standing high in the estimation of the profession and the public—a position he has merited by years of conscientious study.