On Jan. 21, 2024, American soprano Neva Pilgrim died at the age of 85. Pilgrim was born on Nov. 21, 1938, and grew up on a farm in Cottonwood County in southwestern Minnesota. She went on to graduate from Hamline University and received a Master of Music degree from Yale University. From there she went on to study at the {…}
On Jan. 17, 2024, Music and Opera Director Gerd Uecker died at the age of 77. Born on Sept. 15, 1946, Uecker studied piano, music education, and conducting at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater München. Following his studies, he began working as a solo repetiteur at the Cologne Opera in 1969 and in 1970 he received a teaching assignment {…}
Famed choreographer Eleanor Henta Fazan died at the age of 93. Born on May 29, 1930, Fazan was a Kenyan-born British actress and choreographer who trained in dancing with Sadler’s Wells Ballet and later joined the Arts Educational School. Throughout her career, Fazan worked in cinema as a choreographer as well as actress where she appeared in “Oh! What a {…}
On Jan. 19, 2024, Contralto Ewa Podleś passed away at the age of 71. Considered one of the great Polish singers of her generation, she had a career that took her to all the great theaters in the world including the Metropolitan Opera, the Teatro alla Scala, the Royal Opera House, Teatro Real, and the Gran Teatre del Liceu. Born {…}
California Philharmonic founder Maestro Victor Vener died on Dec. 31, 2023 at the age of 78. Vener was born in Pasadena and had an entrepreneurial approach to music, founding numerous high-profile musical institutions and concert series throughout the region, including the California Philharmonic, Pasadena Pops, Chamber Orchestra of Pasadena, and Burbank Symphony. He also established music venues in local destinations {…}
On Jan. 10 2024, Tamara Andreyevna Milashkina died at the age of 89. Born on Sept. 13, 1934, in Astrakhan, Milashkina studied with Elena Katulskaya and became a member of the Bolshoi Opera in 1958. She would remain with the company until 1989 and would be featured in numerous leading roles. She would also tour with the company to such {…}
General and Artistic Director Emeritus of the New Orleans Opera Robert Lyall passed away on Jan. 5, 2024. The New Orleans Opera announced the news and said, “With courage, grace and a sense of humor, Maestro Lyall had bravely battled cancer since April 2023, as well as resulting complications in recent weeks.” The company added, “Robert was a true maestro, {…}
On Dec. 16, 2023, Soprano Orianna Santunione died at the age of 89. Born on Sept. 1, 1934, the Italian soprano was known for her Italian lyric and spinto repertoire and was widely recognized in Italy. She went on to perform at the Teatro alla Scala and Arena di Verona and internationally was known for her performances at the Paris {…}
(Image Source: Vienna State Opera) Baritone Hans Helm has passed away at the age of 89. Born in 1934 in Passau, Germany, he was a major staple of the Vienna State Opera where he performed for over 25 years and became a Kammersänger in 1986. His debut with the company came in Hans Pfitzner’s “Palestrina.” But during his lengthy career with {…}
Tenor Eduardo Villa has died after years of fighting Esophageal Cancer. Born in 1953, Villa studied at the University of Southern California as well as with Martial Singher, Horst Günter, and Margaret Harshaw. He had his big break when he won the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions in 1982 and performed with the Basel Opera Theater from 1983 to 1987. {…}
(Photo: Archive Berliner Philharmoniker/Stefan Beetz) Former General Manager of the Berliner Philharmoniker Franz Xaver Ohnesorg has died at the age of 75. Born on March 9, 1948, Ohnesorg was the son of a master baker couple and graduated from high school in 1968 at the Adolf-Weber-Gymnasium in Munich. He went on to study business administration and general music and theater {…}