Jerry Hadley facts for kids
Jerry Hadley (born June 16, 1952 – died July 18, 2007) was a famous American opera singer, known as a tenor. A tenor is a male singer with a high vocal range. He won three Grammy awards for his amazing singing. These awards were for his performances in the recordings of Jenůfa, Susannah, and Candide. For nearly 20 years, Hadley was one of the top American tenors. He was guided by the famous soprano Joan Sutherland and her husband, conductor Richard Bonynge. The well-known composer Leonard Bernstein chose Hadley for his 1989 recording of Candide. Besides opera, Hadley also sang in shows on Broadway.
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Early Life and Training
Jerry Hadley was born and grew up in Manlius, Illinois. His parents were from Italy and England. He went to Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois. There, he was part of a music club called Phi Mu Alpha.
Hadley first wanted to become a conductor, which is someone who leads an orchestra. After four years, he decided to focus on singing instead. He studied singing at Bradley University and later earned his master's degree in voice at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. While studying, he performed in many school opera shows. He played roles like Tamino in Mozart's The Magic Flute and Alfred in Die Fledermaus.
His Singing Career
After college, Jerry Hadley married pianist Cheryll Drake. He then worked as a music teacher. In 1978, he started studying voice with Thomas LoMonaco, who taught him for the next 12 years.
Hadley began his professional singing career in smaller opera houses across the U.S. The famous singer Beverly Sills was very impressed by him. She offered him a contract with the New York City Opera. Hadley became a regular singer there after his first performance in 1979.
In 1982, he sang for the first time at the Vienna State Opera in Austria. He often performed at many of the world's most famous opera houses. These included the Metropolitan Opera in New York, La Scala in Italy, and the Royal Opera House in London. He also sang at major music festivals like Glyndebourne and Salzburg.
Hadley was well-known for his roles in lyric tenor operas. He also loved performing in Broadway musicals, operettas, and popular music. One of his most popular recordings was the three-CD set of Show Boat. In this recording, Hadley sang the role of Gaylord Ravenal.
Hadley sang many different types of roles. He performed in bel canto operas like Il Barbiere di Siviglia and Lucia di Lammermoor. He also sang in operas by Mozart, such as The Magic Flute. French Romantic operas like Faust and Werther were also part of his repertoire. He was the tenor soloist in Handel's Messiah and Verdi's Requiem. He often played the role of Tom Rakewell in Stravinsky's The Rake's Progress.
In the early 1990s, Hadley sang on an album called The Long Goodbye. This album featured new versions of songs by the band Procol Harum. Hadley sang a song called "Grand Hotel".
In 1996, Hadley asked composer Daniel Steven Crafts to create music for poems by Carl Sandburg. This work, called The Song and The Slogan, was first performed in 2000. It was later made into a PBS video. This video won an Emmy Award for Best Musical Performance.
Hadley also created new roles in operas. He played Don Luis in Myron Fink's 1997 opera The Conquistador. He also played the main role in John Harbison's 1999 opera The Great Gatsby. In 1991, he sang the tenor part in Paul McCartney's Liverpool Oratorio.
At the 1998 Salzburg Festival, Hadley sang the main tenor role in Kurt Weill's Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny. This performance was filmed and released for people to watch.
Jerry Hadley made many recordings. He was chosen by Leonard Bernstein to sing the main role in his operetta Candide for a 1989 recording. The live performance of Candide from that year was also shown on TV.
Besides opera, Hadley also gave concerts in Europe and the United States. He often included American music in his shows. He frequently performed with conductor and pianist Alexander Frey. They were planning to record new albums of songs before Hadley's death.
Break and Return to Singing
Jerry Hadley took a break from performing between 2002 and 2004 due to personal challenges.
On July 12, 2004, Hadley returned to the stage. He performed Verdi's Requiem with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. This performance was highly praised.
On July 29, 2005, Jerry Hadley sang in a special performance of Beethoven's Missa Solemnis. This concert took place in Cologne Cathedral in Germany. It was broadcast live across Europe and the U.S. It was also released on DVD.
Hadley's last opera performances were in May 2007. He sang the role of Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly in Australia. In an interview that year, Hadley spoke about returning to singing after his break. He said he had a deeper appreciation for his gift of music.
Death
On July 10, 2007, Jerry Hadley suffered a serious injury at his home in Clinton Corners, New York. He was taken to St. Francis Hospital in Poughkeepsie, New York. Jerry Hadley passed away two days later, on July 18, 2007.
Discography
- Jerome Kern: Show Boat, conducted by John McGlinn, EMI, 1988
- A Salute to American Music (Richard Tucker Music Foundation Gala XVI, 1991)
- Faust (Charles Gounod), Welsh National Opera Orchestra and Chorus, conductor: Carlo Rizzi (Teldec 1994)
- Werther (Jules Massenet), Lyon Opera Orchestra and Chorus, conductor: Kent Nagano (Erato Records 1995)
Videography
- James Levine's 25th Anniversary Metropolitan Opera Gala (1996), Deutsche Grammophon DVD, B0004602-09
See also
In Spanish: Jerry Hadley para niños
