tenor

13 Stories

'God's Tenor' Dead at 88

 'God's Tenor' 
 Dead at 88 
OBITUARY

'God's Tenor' Dead at 88

Jon Vickers had voice of 'a hundred colors and inflections'

(Newser) - Canada-born opera singer Jon Vickers, nicknamed "God's tenor" for his inimitable voice and strong Christian beliefs, has died. He was 88. The Royal Opera House opera, citing a statement from Vickers' family, said he died Friday in Ontario after a struggle with Alzheimer's disease. Born in Prince...

Harlem Aria Hits Sour Note
 Harlem Aria Hits Sour Note 
MOVIE REVIEW

Harlem Aria Hits Sour Note

Apparent Soloist knockoff actually from 1999, where it should stay

(Newser) - Harlem Aria hit the festival circuit in 1999, and contemporary critics are baffled by the timing of the release of the uneven story of a developmentally disabled young black man with a heart and voice of gold:
  • The performances and William Jennings' direction are "no more than adequate,"
...

José Carreras Retires From Opera

62-year-old's departure leaves one of Three Tenors

(Newser) - Unable to perform at the level he considers acceptable, José Carreras will retire from opera, the least prominent of the Three Tenors tells the Times of London. Unamplified lead roles in opera houses are more than the 62-year-old Spaniard can handle, he said. “If I can do concert recitals,...

Pavarotti Lipsynched Last Performance

Late tenor too sick to sing live at Turin Olympics opening ceremony

(Newser) - Lipsynching isn't just for neophytes like Nikki Hilton—none other than tenor Luciano Pavarotti faked his way through his final public performance at the opening of the Turin Winter Olympics, the Guardian reports. In a new book, Pavarotti's conductor and pianist claims that he recorded the cancer-stricken tenor and the...

Famed Tenor di Stefano Dead
Famed Tenor di Stefano Dead

Famed Tenor di Stefano Dead

Brilliant but erratic tenor succumbed to injuries from 2004 attack

(Newser) - Giuseppe di Stefano, the tenor whose short but brilliant career made him an operatic legend, died yesterday at his home near Milan. He was 86. His widow told reporters his death resulted from head injuries dating to 2004, when robbers in Kenya left him temporarily comatose. Di Stefano's superb voice...

High C is a Drink Best Served Bold
High C is a Drink Best Served Bold

High C is a Drink Best Served Bold

Pavarotti had blend of talent, self-confidence to hit hard note

(Newser) - Pavarotti’s obits called him “King of the High C’s,” a nickname he earned for hitting a note that many tenors have to fake in falsetto. “It’s the absolute summit of technique,” says a coach. “More than anywhere else in your voice, you...

Thousands Mourn Pavarotti
Thousands Mourn Pavarotti

Thousands Mourn Pavarotti

(Newser) - Modena's main piazza was filled with throngs of Luciano Pavarotti fans today as invited mourners gathered at the cathedral for the tenor's funeral. The service, which was shown on huge screens in the piazza and broadcast live, was attended by an ecclectic group of dignitaries and artists with whom the...

Thousands Pay Respects to Pavarotti

Bono, Kofi Annan plan to attend tenor's funeral tomorrow

(Newser) - Thousands lined up today to pay respects to opera superstar Luciano Pavarotti at the cathedral in his hometown of Modena, Italy. Though the tenor's family wants a private funeral tomorrow, an international array of celebrities and fans–among them Bono, Andrea Bocelli, and Kofi Annan–are planning to attend, Reuters...

Tenor Luciano Pavarotti Dies
Tenor Luciano Pavarotti Dies

Tenor Luciano Pavarotti Dies

Succumbs to cancer surrounded by family in hometown Italian villa

(Newser) - Opera star Luciano Pavarotti, one of the greatest tenors of the last century, died early this morning of pancreatic cancer, surrounded by his wife, sister and four daughters, in his hometown villa in Modena, Italy. He was 71. "The Maestro fought a long, tough battle," said his manager....

Pavarotti Extends Stay in Hospital
Pavarotti Extends Stay
in Hospital

Pavarotti Extends Stay in Hospital

'Tranquil' tenor to remain a few more days

(Newser) - Tenor Luciano Pavarotti has decided to extend his stay in the hospital a few more days, his wife said, saying the star feels “more tranquil” there and denying rumors that he had pneumonia. The opera luminary, who had surgery for pancreatic cancer in 2006, was hospitalized last week when...

Tenor Jerry Hadley Dies at 55
Tenor Jerry Hadley Dies at 55

Tenor Jerry Hadley Dies at 55

Jerry Hadley, 55, was known for his bright voice and brash energy

(Newser) - Lyric tenor Jerry Hadley, 55, died yesterday, eight days after shooting himself in the head in his home near Poughkeepsie, NY. Hadley, who suffered from depression, was known for his bright, warm voice, brash energy on stage and adventurous choice of repertory, the New York Times reports.

Famed Tenor On Life Support
Famed Tenor On Life Support

Famed Tenor On Life Support

Opera star seriously injured from self-inflicted wound;

(Newser) - American tenor Jerry Hadley suffered severe brain damage after shooting himself in the head with an air rifle outside his upstate New York home, the New York Times reports. The Grammy Award-winning opera star, 55, is on life support, and police are treating the case as an attempted suicide. Hadley's...

Pavarotti's New Album Could Be Finale

Tenor records sacred music while battling cancer

(Newser) - Opera singer Luciano Pavarotti is recording songs for what could be his last album as the 71-year-old tenor battles pancreatic cancer. His elder daughter reportedly told a magazine that he "knows he will die soon," but later insisted her words had been twisted. Doctors discovered the cancer last...

13 Stories
Most Read on Newser