American soprano Judith Blegen has died at the age of 85. Born in in Fayette County, Kentucky on April 27, 1941, Blegen attended high school in Missoula, Montana and began voice lessons with John L. Lester, head of the voice department at the University of Montana. However, before studying voice she studied the violin as a teenager. Later at Curtis Institute of {…}
Legendary soprano Martina Arroyo has died at the age of 90. Born on Feb. 2, 1937 in Harlem, New York City, she was the youngest of two children born to Demetrio Arroyo and Lucille Washington. She was educated at nearby P.S. 170 and Junior High School 101 in the New York City Public Schools system and learned to play the {…}
Soprano Janice Dixon has died at the age of 70. Born in New York, the soprano was a long-standing performer of major roles in leading German opera houses such as Staatstheater am Gärtnerplatz, Deutsche Oper am Rhein, Saarlandisches staatstheater, Nationaltheater Mannheim, Staatsoper Hannover, and Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden. She also performed at the Israeli Opera and Opera Grand Rapids. Among the {…}
Baritone Geoffrey William Chard AM has died at the age of 96. Born on August 9, 1930 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, Chard was a foundation member of the National Opera of New South Wales. Throughout his career, Chard performed in the inaugural production of the Australian Elizabethan Trust Opera Company and went to England in 1961 and performed {…}
On Sept. 30, baritone Motti Kastón passed away at the age of 64. Kastón was a member of the soloist ensemble since 1991 and both as an artist and a colleague was held in high regard by all who worked with him. Speaking on behalf of the ensemble, Kammersängerin Helene Schneiderman said, “Motti will always hold a special place in {…}
Tenor Michael (Mike) Forest has passed away due to persistent health issues. Forest was born on April 24, 1963. He earned both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Music Education from Shenandoah Conservatory (1985, 86). He also attended Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. He was a member of the Metropolitan Opera’s Young Artists Development Program from 1989-92, {…}
Tenor William “Bill” Lewis has passed away. He was 94. Lewis was born on Nov. 23, 1931 and educated at the University of Colorado, Texas Christian University, New York University, and the Music Academy of the West. Initially, Lewis sought careers in writing and baseball, later choosing opera. In 1953, Lewis made his professional opera debut with Fort Worth Opera {…}
On Sept. 12, 2026 Bass-Baritone Hartmut Welker died at the age of 84. On Oct. 27, 1941, Welker was born in Velbert and before he decided to study singing, he learned and practiced the profession as a toolmaker. At the age of 28, he began studying singing at the Hochschule für Musik und Tanz Köln and made his stage debut {…}
On Sept. 1, 2026, the founder of Virginia Opera Edythe C. Harrison died at the age of 91. The opera company announced the news via social media and said “Virginia Opera mourns the passing of Edythe C. Harrison, a remarkable public servant, civic leader, and devoted champion of the arts. Mrs. Harrison’s vision and leadership helped shape Virginia Opera and {…}
Conductor Antonino Fogliani has died at the age of 50. Born in Messina, Italy on June 29, 1976, the conductor studied composition at the Conservatorio “G. B. Martini” in Bologna and graduated with honours in orchestral conducting at the Milan Conservatory. Fogliani later continued his studies at the Accademia Musicale Chigiana in Siena. In 2001, he made his Rossini Opera Festival {…}
Former Associate Concertmaster of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra Stanley Ritchie has died at the age of 91. Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music announced the news of the death of Australian violinist. Born in 1935, Ritchie graduated from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music in 1956 and continued his studies in Paris and in the US. In 1963, he became concertmaster {…}