Richard Tucker (August 28, 1913 – January 8, 1975) was an American tenor.
He was born Ruvn Ticker in Brooklyn, New York, and his musical aptitude was discovered early. His first job was as a boy alto at the Lower East Side Manhattan Synagogue. He sang often for weddings and Bar Mitzvahs and eventually became a cantor at the Brooklyn Jewish Center. He participated in the Metropolitan Opera auditions in 1941, but did not win. However, when Met general manager Edward Johnson heard him sing at the synagogue, he offered him a contract on the spot. His debut was as Enzo in La Gioconda in 1945. This led to a long career with the Met. He performed over 30 roles on its stage. In 1949 Tucker was selected by Arturo Toscanini to sing the role of Radames for the NBC simulcasts of the complete Aida opposite Herva Nelli in the title role, an event heard and seen on radio and television, and eventually released on LP, CD, VHS, and DVD.
In the late 1950s and early 1960s he appeared under the...
Created by dipity
on Feb 7, 2008
Last updated: 11/13/09 at 05:37 AM
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