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==Life and career==
==Life and career==
Versalle was born in [[Muskegon, Michigan]]. After serving in the [[Submarines in the United States Navy|submarine branch of the US Navy]], he worked in business while studying singing.<ref name="Forbes">{{cite news | url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-richard-versalle-1323427.html | title=Obituary: Richard Versalle | work=The Independent | author=Elizabeth Forbes | date=1996-01-10 | accessdate=2016-12-04}}</ref> He was initially known as a concert and [[oratorio]] singer and did not make his operatic stage debut until the age of 45 when he sang Augustin Moser in ''[[Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg]]'' at [[Chicago Lyric Opera]].<ref name="Forbes"/> He specialised in the heroic tenor roles such as the title role in ''[[Otello]]'', Florestan in ''[[Fidelio]]'', Tristan in ''[[Tristan und Isolde]]'', and most notably the title role in ''[[Tannhäuser (opera)|Tannhäuser]]'', which he sang at Bayreuth in 1985, 1986, 1987, and 1989, as well as in Genoa, Tokyo, Vienna, Bonn, and the Met.
Richard Versalle was born in [[Muskegon, Michigan]] on December 3rd, 1932. After serving in the [[Submarines in the United States Navy|submarine branch of the US Navy]], he worked in business while studying singing.<ref name="Forbes">{{cite news | url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-richard-versalle-1323427.html | title=Obituary: Richard Versalle | work=The Independent | author=Elizabeth Forbes | date=1996-01-10 | accessdate=2016-12-04}}</ref> He was initially known as a concert and [[oratorio]] singer and did not make his operatic stage debut until the age of 45 when he sang Augustin Moser in ''[[Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg]]'' at [[Chicago Lyric Opera]].<ref name="Forbes"/> He specialized in the heroic tenor roles such as the title role in ''[[Otello]]'', Florestan in ''[[Fidelio]]'', Tristan in ''[[Tristan und Isolde]]'', and most notably the title role in ''[[Tannhäuser (opera)|Tannhäuser]]'', which made him a sought after Tenor, who performed regularly at the Bayreuth Festspiele in 1985, 1986, 1987, and 1989, as well as in Genoa, Tokyo, Vienna, Bonn, Sydney, Pittsburg, Chicago, and the Met.


Versalle made his debut at the [[Metropolitan Opera]] on 8 December 1978, when he sang the minor role of the Messenger in ''[[Aida]]''. After that, he sang primarily in Europe, having made his European debut in 1981 as Verdi's Otello at the [[Saarbrücken]] opera house . At Saarbrücken he also sang the title role in ''[[Peter Grimes]]'' and Siegmund in ''[[Die Walküre]]'' (1988). He returned to the Met in 1992 when he sang Tannhäuser. He was at the Met again in 1995 singing Jacob Schmidt in [[John Dexter]]'s production of ''[[Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny]]''.
Versalle made his debut at the [[Metropolitan Opera]] on 8 December 1978, when he sang the minor role of the Messenger in ''[[Aida]]''. Primarily performing in Europe, he became a well-known figure in the world wide Operatic community, having made his European debut in 1981 as Verdi's Otello at the [[Saarbrücken]] opera house . At Saarbrücken he also sang the title role in ''[[Peter Grimes]]'' and Siegmund in ''[[Die Walküre]]'' (1988). He returned to the Met in 1992 when he sang Tannhäuser. He was at the Met again in 1995 singing Jacob Schmidt in [[John Dexter]]'s production of ''[[Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny]]''.
On 5 January 1996, Versalle was singing the role of Vitek, a law clerk, at the Metropolitan Opera premiere of Janáček's ''[[The Makropulos Affair (opera)|The Makropulos Case]]'', sung in English translation. Only a few minutes into the performance, after singing the line "You can only live so long" whilst halfway up a 20-foot (6-meter) ladder, he suffered a heart attack, and fell to the stage. The performance was halted, and ultimately cancelled. Versalle was taken to [[St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital]], where he was pronounced dead on arrival.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/01/06/arts/met-tenor-is-stricken-ill-onstage-and-dies.html | title=Met Tenor Is Stricken Ill Onstage And Dies | work=The New York Times | author=Randy Kennedy | date=1996-01-06 | accessdate=2016-12-04}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/news/autopsy-awaited-opera-death-article-1.721142 | title=Autopsy Awaited in Opera Death | work=New York Daily News | author=Don Gentile | date=1996-01-07 | accessdate=2016-12-04}}</ref> His death was reported that same evening.<ref name="Holloway">{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/01/07/nyregion/richard-versalle-63-met-tenor-dies-after-fall-in-a-performance.html | title=Richard Versalle, 63, Met Tenor, Dies After Fall in a Performance | work=The New York Times | author=Lynette Holloway | date=1996-01-07 | accessdate=2016-12-04}}</ref>
On the 5th of January, 1996, Versalle was singing the role of Vitek, a law clerk, at the Metropolitan Opera premiere of Janáček's ''[[The Makropulos Affair (opera)|The Makropulos Case]]'', sung in English translation. Only a few minutes into the performance, after singing the line "You can only live so long" whilst halfway up a 20-foot (6-meter) ladder, he suffered a heart attack, and fell to the stage. The performance was halted; Joseph Volpe, the General Manager at the time had to pull the fire alarm to clear the audience, who believed this was part of the performance. Ultimately, the remaining performances were cancelled as a show of respect. Versalle was taken to [[St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital]], where he was pronounced dead on arrival.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/01/06/arts/met-tenor-is-stricken-ill-onstage-and-dies.html | title=Met Tenor Is Stricken Ill Onstage And Dies | work=The New York Times | author=Randy Kennedy | date=1996-01-06 | accessdate=2016-12-04}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/news/autopsy-awaited-opera-death-article-1.721142 | title=Autopsy Awaited in Opera Death | work=New York Daily News | author=Don Gentile | date=1996-01-07 | accessdate=2016-12-04}}</ref> His death was reported that same evening.<ref name="Holloway">{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/01/07/nyregion/richard-versalle-63-met-tenor-dies-after-fall-in-a-performance.html | title=Richard Versalle, 63, Met Tenor, Dies After Fall in a Performance | work=The New York Times | author=Lynette Holloway | date=1996-01-07 | accessdate=2016-12-04}}</ref>


Versalle was married twice. His first marriage produced four children, one of whom died from AIDS. He and his second wife, the former Alexis Darden, had a daughter, Tess. His widow and his four remaining children survived him.<ref name="Holloway"/>
Versalle was married twice. His first marriage produced four children; Michael, Jeffrey, who preceded his father in death from AIDS in 1991, Jody, and Tim. He and his second wife, Alexis (aka) Darden, had 1 daughter, Tessa. His widow and his four remaining children survive him.<ref name="Holloway"/>


==Recordings==
==Recordings==

Revision as of 20:10, 19 January 2022

Richard Versalle in the title role of Tannhäuser, Bayreuth, 1985

Richard Lee Versalle (3 December 1932 – 5 January 1996) was an American operatic tenor.

Life and career

Richard Versalle was born in Muskegon, Michigan on December 3rd, 1932. After serving in the submarine branch of the US Navy, he worked in business while studying singing.[1] He was initially known as a concert and oratorio singer and did not make his operatic stage debut until the age of 45 when he sang Augustin Moser in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg at Chicago Lyric Opera.[1] He specialized in the heroic tenor roles such as the title role in Otello, Florestan in Fidelio, Tristan in Tristan und Isolde, and most notably the title role in Tannhäuser, which made him a sought after Tenor, who performed regularly at the Bayreuth Festspiele in 1985, 1986, 1987, and 1989, as well as in Genoa, Tokyo, Vienna, Bonn, Sydney, Pittsburg, Chicago, and the Met.

Versalle made his debut at the Metropolitan Opera on 8 December 1978, when he sang the minor role of the Messenger in Aida. Primarily performing in Europe, he became a well-known figure in the world wide Operatic community, having made his European debut in 1981 as Verdi's Otello at the Saarbrücken opera house . At Saarbrücken he also sang the title role in Peter Grimes and Siegmund in Die Walküre (1988). He returned to the Met in 1992 when he sang Tannhäuser. He was at the Met again in 1995 singing Jacob Schmidt in John Dexter's production of Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny.

On the 5th of January, 1996, Versalle was singing the role of Vitek, a law clerk, at the Metropolitan Opera premiere of Janáček's The Makropulos Case, sung in English translation. Only a few minutes into the performance, after singing the line "You can only live so long" whilst halfway up a 20-foot (6-meter) ladder, he suffered a heart attack, and fell to the stage. The performance was halted; Joseph Volpe, the General Manager at the time had to pull the fire alarm to clear the audience, who believed this was part of the performance. Ultimately, the remaining performances were cancelled as a show of respect. Versalle was taken to St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.[2][3] His death was reported that same evening.[4]

Versalle was married twice. His first marriage produced four children; Michael, Jeffrey, who preceded his father in death from AIDS in 1991, Jody, and Tim. He and his second wife, Alexis (aka) Darden, had 1 daughter, Tessa. His widow and his four remaining children survive him.[4]

Recordings

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Elizabeth Forbes (1996-01-10). "Obituary: Richard Versalle". The Independent. Retrieved 2016-12-04.
  2. ^ Randy Kennedy (1996-01-06). "Met Tenor Is Stricken Ill Onstage And Dies". The New York Times. Retrieved 2016-12-04.
  3. ^ Don Gentile (1996-01-07). "Autopsy Awaited in Opera Death". New York Daily News. Retrieved 2016-12-04.
  4. ^ a b Lynette Holloway (1996-01-07). "Richard Versalle, 63, Met Tenor, Dies After Fall in a Performance". The New York Times. Retrieved 2016-12-04.

Sources

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