(Credit: Amore Opera)

Nathan Hull, the artistic director of Amore Opera in New York, has passed away.

Hull, a baritone and stage director became the Artistic Director of the company when it was created in 2009 from the ashes of the Amato Opera Company. Hull frequently performed with the Amato Opera and was well known for taking risks with Amore Opera.

When Hull was named President-elect, he advised Tony Amato of the committee’s plans and received Amato’s blessing. The name “Amore” was selected because it was a variation on Amato and also because, as Tony Amato pointed out, “A” names appear first on lists.

In an interview with OperaWire, he noted, “We want to do things that are unusual, that I know that it’d be possible to do.”

Under his leadership, Hull gave the U.S. premiere of Donizetti’s “La Zingara” and “Olivo e Pasquale” and presented such rarities as “I Due Figaro,” “Poliuto,” “Das Labyrinth,” and the operas of Meyerbeer.

During his time at the Amore Opera, Hull directed numerous productions, sang in concerts, and became a beloved figure within the New York Opera community.

As he told OperaWire, “I’m working my way through my favorites. We’re doing grand opera but on a smaller scale so we actually produce opera on a much larger scale. As far as artistic level I’m really pretty happy with what we’re able to do because people are there—I don’t mean to sound too corny, but the Amore part is actually there because they really love it.”