St. Leger was born in
Madras, now
Chennai,
India, to British parents. At 16, he entered the
Royal Academy of Music in
London, where he studied
piano and
conducting. He was graduated with several honors.
Career Between 1912 and 1914, St. Leger toured as the pianist for the Cherniavsky Trio. He served in the
Australian army for two years, following which he was appointed the pianist and conductor for the
opera singer Dame
Nellie Melba. His position with Melba brought St. Leger to the United States in 1917. As an accompanist, St. Leger recorded dozens of Russian songs on Vocalion with the Russian tenor
Vladimir Rosing in the early 1920s. Subsequently, he held positions with the
American Opera Company, the
Royal Opera at
Covent Garden in
London, and, beginning in 1929, a staff position with the Civic Opera of Chicago. In 1932 St. Leger was engaged as the music director of the
Houston Symphony. He resigned following the season of 1934–1935. Following a position directing the
Central City Opera in
Colorado, St. Leger accepted, in 1939, a position as an assistant conductor for the
Metropolitan Opera in
New York City. He remained at the Metropolitan for the following eleven years, holding subsequent positions as regular conductor, musical secretary, and company assistant manager in charge of repertory. St. Leger departed New York in 1950, and in 1953 joined the music faculty of
Indiana University as professor of music. Upon his retirement in 1963, he was designated
emeritus professor of music; after his retirement from full-time status at Indiana, he continued there part-time, coaching voice and opera.
Personal On 10 February 1930, St. Leger married Katharine Elizabeth Millspaugh (1904–1968) in New York. They were the parents of a son, Frances William Hugh (1937–2021). St. Leger died in
Bloomington, Indiana, at the age of 79. ==References==