In increasing order of tragedy:
Cheryl Studer, a soprano who I've admired for some time, and in fact was the first singer I ever saw in recital, just suffered a heart attack. Baruch Hashem, it seems to be mild, but she's still going to need at least months to recover. I've regretted never hearing her at the Met, especially since their failure to engage her recently seems to be for political reasons, not musical ones. May G-d send her a refuah shleimah (complete healing).
The wonderful American heldentenor James King died on November 20. I am, of course, far too young to have seen him live at the Met (except some brief utterances as Walther von Stolzing in the Meistersinger finale which ended - at 2:oo AM! - the James Levine Gala in 1996), but I have been impressed with the recordings I've heard. My only time really hearing him live was in 1995 or 1996 when he sang - magnificently - the Winterstürme at one of Licia Albanese's Puccini Foundation Galas - and he was 70! Also, I've spoken with some young singers who have studied with him - he was a professor of voice at Indiana University - and they all said he was a wonderful tenor and a really nice guy.
And South African tenor Deon van der Walt, who has sung Mozart roles such as Tamino, Ferrando and Belmonte all over the world - I heard a fine Met broadcast of his Tamino, although I never saw him live - was shot and killed at his winery near Cape Town, allegedly murdered by his father, who then committed suicide. He was only 47. There really are no words.
Baruch dayan emet.
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