For Those Who Love Opera

Richard Crooks
(June 26, 1900 – September 29, 1972)

was an American tenor and a leading singer at the New York Metropolitan Opera.

June Bronhill
(June 26, 1929 – January 24, 2005)

was an Australian coloratura soprano opera singer, performer and actress,

Die Walküre is the second of the four epic music dramas that constitute Richard Wagner's cycle Der Ring des Nibelungen. It was performed, as a single opera, at the National Theatre Munich on 26 June 1870, and received its first performance as part of the Ring cycle at the Bayreuth Festspielhaus on 14 August 1876.

R.I.P.
Erie Mills
(June 22, 1953 - June 23, 2026)

Inia Te Wiata
(June 10, 1915 – June 26, 1971)

was a celebrated New Zealand bass-baritone, actor, and master carver of Māori heritage. Acclaimed for his rich voice and charismatic stage presence, he performed with leading opera companies in Britain and Europe, excelling in both comic and dramatic roles. Beyond opera, he became a respected ambassador for Māori culture through his artistry, teaching, and traditional wood carving.

Antonina Nezhdanova
(June 16, 1873 – June 26, 1950)

was one of the greatest lyric coloratura sopranos of the Russian school. A longtime star of the Bolshoi Theatre, she was admired for her brilliant technique, expressive artistry, and beautiful voice. She inspired Sergei Rachmaninoff, who dedicated his famous Vocalise to her, and remains one of the most celebrated sopranos in Russian operatic history.

Karl Scheidemantel
(January 29, 1859 – June 26, 1923)

was one of Germany’s leading baritones of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Renowned for his Wagner interpretations, he sang at the Dresden Court Opera and the Bayreuth Festival, creating the role of Faninal in Richard Strauss’s Der Rosenkavalier (1911). After retiring from the stage, he became a respected teacher and opera director.

Gina Cigna
(February 6, 1900 – June 26, 2001)

was one of the greatest dramatic sopranos of the 20th century. Renowned for her powerful voice and commanding stage presence, she excelled in roles such as Turandot, Norma, Aida, and Tosca. A leading star at La Scala and other major opera houses, she left a lasting legacy through her unforgettable performances and later as a respected vocal teacher.

Happy Birthday dear Marie-Nicole Lemieux