Mezzo-soprano Katherine Pring has passed away at the age of 78. Born in Brighton in 1940, the mezzo went on to study at the RCM, London, and at the Geneva Conservatory, joining Sadler’s Wells Opera (later the ENO) in 1968. With the English National Opera, she would become well-known for her interpretation as Carmen and Fricka in the Ring Cycle. She {…}
Famed soprano Ingeborg Borkh, born on May 26, 1917, passed away at August 26, 2018. The soprano, known for her interpretations in the German repertory, spent most of her career in Switzerland, receiving the high honor of the Hans-Reinhart-Ring. Borkh started off her career as an actress bu started to perform as a singer in 1940 when she performed in {…}
The English National Opera has announced the death of tenor Arthur Davies. The tenor was well-known with the company particularly for his role as the Duke in Jonathan Miller’s classic production of Verdi’s “Rigoletto.” He would go on to perform the role in five revivals and the ENO’s tour to the U.S. A favorite of the ENO, Davies made his debut {…}
Mezzo-soprano Valentina Levko has died at the age of 92. The Russian mezzo was a noted opera and chamber singer who in her later years became a distinguished teacher and professor. While the Levko had an international career, she was renown as a soloist at the Bolshoi Theatre from 1960 through 1982 and in 1969, she was awarded the People’s Artist {…}
Two-time Emmy Award-winning composer, lyricist, conductor, pianist, and producer Glen Roven has passed away at the age of 60. Roven was known for his diversity in music having started his career on Broadway as a rehearsal pianist for “Pippin,” while still in high school, and at 19 was the musical director of “Sugar Babies” on Broadway. He would then go on {…}
Polish soprano Isabella Nawe has died at the age of 75. The soprano, who was born in Czestochowa became a huge name in Berlin making her home at the Berlin State Opera. She went on to sing with the company from 1970 to the mid-1990s. The soprano established herself as a coloratura soprano, performing such signature roles as Konstanze in {…}
The New York City Opera has announced the passing of tenor John Lankston at age 84. The tenor made his debut with City Opera in 1966 in the role of Pedrillo and became a huge star with the company. He would go on to perform with the company until the 2000s. Among the many highlights, he had with the company {…}
The Puerto Rican tenor Antonio Barasorda has died. Barasorda died on July 9, 2018, of a heart attack, a few days before he was to give a concert at the Puerto Rico conservatory. The tenor was being treated for a Colon tumor and was 72-years-old. The tenor first started his career performing such roles as Canio, Calaf, Dick Johnson, Radamés, {…}
Joyce Blackham has passed away at the age of 84. The mezzo, known for her signature role of “Carmen,” starred alongside Plácido Domingo at the 1977 Edinburgh Festival and went on to sing the role in Brussels, Cairo, Johannesburg, Auckland, New York, Fort Worth, and Oslo, as well as Bulgaria and Canada. A student of Joseph Hislop at the Guildhall {…}
Italian baritone Claudio Desderi has passed away. The baritone, known for his buffo roles, was the son of Italian composer Ettore Desderi and came to fame after his 1969 debut at the Edinburgh Festival in Rossini’s “Il Signor Bruschino.” From there he became a fixture at Salzburg, Glyndebourne, and Pesaro in Mozart and Rossini roles. However, he would have his biggest breaks {…}
The Deutsche Oper Berlin has announced the death of baritone Barry McDaniel. The Kansas born baritone, who won a Fulbright in 1953 and spent the rest of his life singing in Germany, was part of the Deutsche Oper from 1962 to 1999. Born to musical parents McDaniel’s took up piano at the age of nine and would go on to {…}