Richard Cassilly American opera singer, heldentenor Date of Birth: 14.12.1927 Country: USA

Biography of Richard Cassilly

Richard Cassilly was an American opera singer and heldentenor. He was born in 1927 in Washington, D.C. and spent his childhood on a farm near Aberdeen, Maryland. Later, Richard and his family moved to Baltimore, Maryland, where he had his first encounter with music as a member of the choir at his school club. In 1946, at the age of 18, Richard enrolled in the Peabody Conservatory at Johns Hopkins University, studying vocal performance under Hans Heinz. While still a student, Cassilly performed in student opera productions of "The Flying Dutchman" and "Madama Butterfly."

After earning his degree in vocal performance in 1952, Richard moved to New York City. He joined the John Harms Chorus and worked as a singer in churches and town halls. His breakthrough came in late 1954 when he was hired by William Steinberg to perform in Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 with the Pittsburgh Symphony. This led to his Broadway debut and a successful run in the production of "The Saint of Bleecker Street."

Cassilly's career began to take off when he was noticed by Joseph Rosenstock, the head of the New York City Opera (NYCO). He joined the NYCO in 1955 and made his debut in Tchaikovsky's "Cherevichki." He continued to perform regularly with the NYCO, singing in productions such as "Anna Bolena," "I Capuleti e i Montecchi," "Les Troyens," "Beatrice di Tenda," and "Iphigénie en Tauride," collaborating with renowned artists like Walter Berry, Marilyn Horne, Christa Ludwig, Regina Resnik, Giulietta Simionato, Eleanor Steber, and Joan Sutherland.

Despite his affiliation with the NYCO, Cassilly also embarked on numerous tours, performing with opera companies in the United States and abroad. He made his international debut with the Canadian Opera Company as Cavaradossi in "Tosca" and performed in "Norma" with the New Orleans Opera. In 1960, he portrayed Don Juan at the Houston Grand Opera and later reprised the role in the Boston Opera Company and Vancouver Opera. He also sang the role of Radames in "Aida" with the Cincinnati Opera and performed in Houston in "Pagliacci" and "Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg."

Throughout the 1960s, Cassilly was incredibly active and in-demand, performing an extensive repertoire that included "Fidelio," "Faust," "Boris Godunov," "Elektra," "Otello," "The Flying Dutchman," "Il Trovatore," and many others. In the late 1960s and 1970s, he achieved great success in Europe, particularly at the Hamburg State Opera and Deutsche Oper Berlin. He had a long-term contract with the Hamburg State Opera and moved his family there. From 1966 to 1978, Cassilly sang a total of 55 roles, often performing multiple different roles in a single week.

Cassilly was particularly beloved by audiences and critics in Wagnerian roles such as Siegmund, Walther, Tristan, and Tannhäuser. He made his debut at the Royal Opera, Covent Garden in 1968 and returned annually until 1982. He also performed at La Scala, making his debut in 1970 as Samson in "Samson et Dalila." In 1972, he sang with the San Francisco Opera, and in 1975, he performed at the Orange Festival. In 1977, he presented Tannhäuser at the Royal Danish Opera. In 1978, Cassilly made his debut at the Metropolitan Opera, where he performed until his final appearance on November 23, 1990, marking his 157th performance at the renowned opera house.

From the mid-1980s until his death, Cassilly taught at Boston University. He passed away in Boston on January 30, 1998, after a fall on ice and a head injury. Despite initial diagnosis suggesting a minor concussion, it was later discovered that he had suffered a brain hemorrhage. Richard Cassilly was survived by his wife, Patricia Craig, an opera soprano.