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JERRY HADLEY
1952 - 2007Another of the quintessentially "American" singers, Jerry Hadley grew
up in the Midwest listening to his Neapolitan grandfather's records. His passion for
communicating with an audience stems from this early exposure to singers, from Caruso to
Sinatra.
Jerry Hadley received international acclaim early in his
career for the great Mozart operatic tenor roles, as well as those of the French romantic
and bel canto eras. He is equally at home in the worlds of Broadway musical theater,
operetta and popular song - and is also noted for 20th-century works in English such as
Leonard Bernstein's Candide, and Kurt Weill's The Rise and Fall of the City
of Mahagonny, a role he finds especially challenging because of the darkness of the
character of Jimmy Mahoney.
Relishing the challenge of new works, Jerry Hadley was Paul
McCartney's choice to appear with Dame Kiri te Kanawa in the former Beatles' composition,
The Liverpool Oratorio. Hadley also performed in Ned Rorem's song cycle, The
Auden Poems; and a commissioned piece by composer Daniel Steven Crafts, The Song
and the Slogan, based upon Carl Sandburg's "The Prairie". He recently
created the title role for the 1999 world premiere of John Harbison's opera The Great
Gatsby at the Metropolitan Opera; and the groom's father in William Bolcom's The
Wedding for Chicago Lyric Opera. In 1997, Hadley created the title role in Myron
Fink's opera, The Conquistador, based on a true story of the Spanish Inquisition
in the New World, which premiered at San Diego Opera - there is extensive documentation on
this project - see below for links.
Jerry Hadley has a warm, easy-going sort of personality, making friends in his travels
throughout the world. He's described in most interviews as "affable," but he
also brings an intelligent curiosity to his work along with a scholarly approach to
researching new roles. Much of his attention is given to preserving and presenting
neglected works by American composers, particularly operas and theatre pieces written in
the early 20th century. Hadley's extensive discography reflects his eclectic musical
interests.
Check below for information about recordings and links to
other websites for more information. Jerry Hadley was featured in ML Hart's recent book The
Art of Making Opera, and is profiled for her
upcoming book TENORS: Passion and Glory at the Opera. Return to ML Hart's website
where you can find a number of photographs from rehearsal and performance of the tenor's
roles -- Don Luis de Carvajal, Des Grieux, and Idomeneo. |
