Artist description Operatic tenor, Richard Taylor has appeared as a leading tenor with the Berlin Opera, the English National Opera, New York City Opera, Daniel Barenboim and the Munich Philharmonic.

Music Style Operatic

Musical Influences Jussi Björling, Carmen Savoca

Artist History Richard Taylor began his career as a Resident Artist with the Tri-Cities Opera in Binghamton, New York, and five years later in 1974 became the New York City Opera’s youngest leading tenor with his much-acclaimed debut as Alfredo in La Traviata. In his five years there he sang more than a hundred performances of twenty leading roles ranging from the standard tenor fare (Pinkerton, Faust, Don Jose, Des Grieux) to the unusual (Boito’s Mefistofele, Korngold’s Die Tote Stadt). In June of 1976 Taylor earned a permanent place in the operatic history books when he performed another title-role, that of Verdi’s Stiffelio in the belated American Premiere of the work, given at the opera house of the Brooklyn Academy of Music. During the years 1974 - 1979 Taylor appeared regularly as a guest artist with symphony orchestras and opera companies throughout the United States, with an impressive total of thirty-five leading tenor roles to his credit, ranging from the bel-canto (Norma and Lucia di Lammermoor to the French (Carmen, Manon, Les Contes d’Hoffmann, Romèo et Juliet, Faust and Le Cid, to the traditional (Rigoletto, La Bohème, Tosca) to the more dramatic fare (Un Ballo in Maschera, La Fanciulla del West, Il Trovatore and Der Fliegende Hollander.) In 1979 Taylor’s career took one of show business’ stranger turns when an extended summer vacation spent playing with a personal computer turned into a second international career. To his great surprise, the tenor-turned-hobbyist-computerist became a published author of commercial timesharing software, and six months later was approached with an offer that led him to found, and become president of an international retail computer corporation, necessitating his temporary retirement from the opera stages of the world.But in 1990 the performer-at-heart took yet another turn of fate, and thanks to a last-minute cancellation and a case of being in the right place at the right time, was hired by the Chicago Symphony’s newly appointed Music Director Daniel Barenboim to return to singing as the tenor soloist in four performances of The Verdi Requiem with The Munich Philharmonic in December of that year. Since his sudden return to opera, Taylor has appeared in concert with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra in Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, and with the Orlando Opera as Hoffmann. On December 25, 1990, Taylor made another last-minute debut, as Rodolfo in La Bohème with the Deutsche Oper Berlin. In November of 1992 he made his London debut with The English National Opera staring in its controversial David Alden production of Verdi's Un ballo in maschera. The London Times said, "His return to singing is opera's gain!". He stayed in London and commuted north to Leeds to debut as Pinkerton in the original version of Puccini's Madama Butterfly.1993 found him in Mannheim, Germany debuting with that company as Foresto in Verdi's Attila.

Group Members Richard Taylor

Press Reviews The London Times said, "His return to singing is opera's gain!"Gustavus in ENO "Masked Ball""... an impressive American tenor, Richard Taylor. He used to appear with New York's City Opera, abandoned bel canto for computers, and has now come back to the stage. His return is opera's gain. His style has much in common with that of Jerry Hadley: a lyric voice with excellent diction, which could move easily between grand opera and operetta."• THE TIMES (London) 11/18/91"...he was singing out with brilliance and confidence."• THE EVENING STANDARD (London) 11/15/91Rodolfo in La Bohème"Taylor was not only in wonderful voice, but he also brought dramatic credibility to Rodlofo. Taylor possesses a gift for vocal shading and coloring to suit the words, which is not as common as it may seem. His ringing high C at the end of "Che gelida manina" was a reminder of how few tenors nowadays (even the famous ones) can pull that off convincingly, but Taylor certainly did. A veteran of not only TCO but such international houses as the Deutsche Oper, Berlin, English National Opera, and the New York City Opera, Taylor vividly demonstrated his artistry."• SUNY PRESS 2/4/92"It is Taylor's Rodolfo, though, who carries the brunt of the show. Taylor has a rich tenor that conveys both emotion and purity of tone. He's a quite acceptable actor as well, easily convincing as a man who would, at a moment's notice, fall deeply in love with the shy Mimi."•(BINGHAMTON) PRESS AND SUN BULLETIN 2/4/92Tenor Richard Taylor made his moments ringing and assertive... (he) commanded a clear, ringing tone and easy high notes, and he also gave a couple of delicate spots an alluring sweetness."• ORLANDO SENTINEL 3/1/92--------------------------------------REVIEW HIGHLIGHTS THE NEW YORK CITY OPERA YEARS"It was left to Richard Taylor (Pollione) to provide the kind of vocal and dramatic projection needed for successful realization of the piece."OPERA NEWS 12/20/75"Richard Taylor's Narraboth makes passionate attempts to gain Salome's interest with his bright, ringing tenor."LOS ANGELES HERALD EXAMINER 11/15/75"Richard Taylor (Duke of Mantua) tossed of a feather-light "Questa o quella," delivered an incisive 'Ella mi fu rapita' and blended superbly in the quartet."OPERA NEWS 4/19/75"His voice showed a rare French clarity combined with a true son if Italy's ability to spin out a lovely legato line." (Edgardo/Lucia di Lammermoor)OPERA NEWS 3/6/76"Richard Taylor's Faust - tall, handsome, and thankfully slim- is one of the best I have encountered in recent years. His high tenor has punch behind it, and there are ascending veins of silver in its upper reaches. A fellow with a future."THE NEW YORK DAILY NEWS 4/26/75"New to the production was Richard Taylor in the title role (Faust). The tenor has a light, appealing voice suitable to the part, and he has a fine sense of the music's style."THE NEW YORK TIMES 4/27/75"Richard Taylor in the title role (Faust) used his smooth lyric tenor to best advantage in the garden scene. The voice sounded effortlessly produced, with no audible shift of tone quality between registers."OPERA NEWS 6/74"Richard Taylor, a relative newcomer to the New York City Opera, brought a commanding dignity and a fine tenor voice to the title role (Idomeneo), singing and acting with enormous skill and conviction."THE NEW YORK POST 3/17/75"All sang capably and enthusiastically on opening night, with Mr. Taylor's "Idomeneo' taking a slight edge in audience adoration at the final curtain call."THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR 3/20/75"The most remarkable performance of the evening was turned in by Mr. Taylor in the title role (Idomeneo). His is a rich warm tenor, with amazing flexibility and evenness."THE RECORD 3/17/75"Besides the thrilling Miss Niska, the cast at the New York State Theater included a vocally fluent Richard Taylor for Idomeneo's spectacular 'Fuor del mar."THE VILLAGE VOICE 3/31/75"Tenor Taylor cut a dashing figure as Edgardo (Lucia di Lammermoor), his mellifluous voice blending well in the ensembles and sounding superb in the final scene."OPERA NEWS 2/16/74"Matching Miss Patenaude's touching portrayal in the finale, offering consistently fine singing in the earlier acts as well, was Richard Taylor as Alfredo."THE NEW YORK TIMES 10/27/74"Stiffelio fared much the better of the two... both singers know what Verdi demands and delivered it consistently... Taylor poured out his attractive tenor with suitable passion in the role of the Protestant minister."OPERA NEWS 8/16/76"Richard Taylor, a tenor from the New York City Opera, sang the title-role with a fine intensity."THE NEW YORK TIMES 6/6/76"Stiffelio is a big role, more on the order of Gustav in 'Ballo' or Gabriele Adorno in 'Simon Boccanegra' than the Rigoletto Duke. Richard Taylor applied intelligence and musicianship to his interpretation. He found the tessitura comfortable, and he dramatically projected a strong character."THE NEW YORK POST 6/5/76"His firmly-focused singing was a pleasure, and despite his alarming facial resemblance to Gene Wilder, he acted with splendid comprehension."THE NEW YORK DAILY NEWS 6/7/76"Taylor, who looks a bit like movie star Gene Wilder, sang with a strong, clear voice, with good control. He played a man torn between the desire for revenge on his wife and her lover, and the Christian devotion to peace and forgiveness, and the acting was more than adequate."NEWSDAY 6/7/76

Location Union City, NJ - USA

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