Tenor Leonardo Navarro has died at the age of 38. The Teatro Municipal de Santiago announced the news noting “We deeply regret the passing of opera singer Leonardo Navarro, who with his voice and talent gave life to various opera characters on this and other national and international stages. We share his family and friends’ sorrow. May he rest in {…}
On Oct. 3, 2024, designer Gottfried Pilz died at the age of 80. The Deutsche Oper Berlin announced the news noting that the company “will honor his memory and his work.” Born on Sept. 21, 1944, in Salzburg, Austria, Pilz became a designer for opera and theatre productions and worked at many leading opera houses in the world. During his {…}
On Oct. 6, American baritone Dominic Cossa died at the age of 89. Born in Jessup, Pennsylvania, on May 13, 1935, Cossa studied with Anthony Marlowe in Detroit, Robert Weede in Concord, and Armen Boyajian in New York City. In 1961, he made his New York City Opera debut as Moralès in “Carmen” and followed that up with Sharpless in “Madama Butterfly.” In {…}
On. Sept. 24, 2024, Dr. Robert Berglund died at the age of 94. Born on Feb. 17, 1930, Berglund dedicated his life to music. He studied at the University of Minnesota where he received a BS and MA and later received an Ed.D. from Colorado State College. He began his career assisting conductor Antal Dorati and he prepared choirs for {…}
(Credit: Pinhas Stern) Michael Ajzenstadt has died at the age of 71. The Israeli Opera said via social media, “The Israeli opera bids farewell with great pain and much love from Michael Ajzenstadt, whom many knew him as ‘Mr. Opera.’ Michael passed away on September 27, in the morning, after six months of battling cancer. The 71-year-old was dead. Michael {…}
On Sept. 9, 1924, Soprano Deborah Roberts died at the age of 72. Born on May 10, 1952, in London, England, Roberts studied at Lady Edridge Grammar School in Croydon and the University of Leicester. He also studied at Nottingham University and in 1981 she was a prize winner in the early music competition in Bruges. After her studies, Roberts {…}
(Credit: Bolshoi Theatre) Opera singer Vladislav Verestnikov has died at the age of 77. The news was reported by the Bolshoi Theatre stated that the baritone was suffering from a long illness. Born on Jan. 4, 1947, Verestnikov graduated from the Kharkov Institute of Radio Electronics, and then from the vocal department of the Kharkov Institute of Arts. In 1975, {…}
German opera director Dr. Peter Brenner passed away on Sept. 16, 2024 in Rommersheim. Originally born Peter Felsenstein on May 8, 1930 in Freiburg, he studied law at the University of Vienna and music at the State Academy of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna. From there, he would take on the role of assistant director to Günther Rennert at {…}
Legendary soprano Lucine Amara has died at the age of 99. The American soprano was born on March 1, 1925 in Hartford, Connecticut but was raised in San Francisco. She went on to study at the San Francisco Community Music Center and sang in the chorus of the San Francisco Opera from 1945 to 1946. She made her concert debut at the {…}
On August 24, 2024, American soprano Christine Weidinger died at the age of 78. Born on March 31, 1946, in Springville, New York, Weidinger grew up in New York and Arizona. She went to singing with Marlene Delavan at Grand Canyon University, Richard Dales at Arizona State University, David Scott at San Fernando Valley State College, and Margaret Harshaw at {…}
(Credit: Steven Swales Artist Management) On Sept. 8, 2024, English tenor Ben Thapa has died at the age of 42. In a statement from his vocal G4, the group said, “It is with deep sadness that we announce the sudden passing of our brother and great friend, Ben Thapa. Words cannot express how we all feel right now… We understand {…}