RICHARD WRIGHT (July 16, 1922 – April 12, 2010)
Operatic tenor and conductor Richard Wright was born in Mansfield, Ohio on July 16, 1922, and died in Salisbury, Maryland on April 12, 2010. Fortunately for me, for some of the time between those dates he was an Associate Professor of Music at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, which is where I began undergraduate studies in 1973.
Mr. Wright was as kind and generous a voice teacher as one could hope for, as well as a gifted conductor of everything ranging from a cappella choral works to Menotti's The Consul. And that was just during my brief stint at FAU, which also included the special highlight of him conducting the 1974 Florida premiere of Leonard Bernstein's Mass
, as well as Puccini's Madame Butterfly
at the International Music Festival in Miami.
Judging from his teachers--including Richard Bonelli, Darius Milhaud and Arnold Schoenberg (see the clipping, below)--I'm guessing somewhere along the way young Richard must have attended the Music Academy of the West summer conservatory (founded near Santa Barbara, California in 1947). As a singer (and I hope I'm remembering this correctly) he appeared in opera productions in Germany and at New York City Center. He also was a soloist with the Robert Shaw Chorale and was featured in a few of their recordings, such as his supporting role in Leoncavallo's Pagliacci with Victoria De Los Angeles and Jussi Björling.
Prior to joining the faculty of Florida Atlantic University, Mr. Wright had moved to Florida to teach at Marymount College (now Lynn University) in Boca Raton in 1965. After retiring from FAU in 1992, his European travels included adventures in hot-air balloons and on the Orient Express.
Into his 80s, Richard (as he insisted I finally must address him) moved into an assisted living facility in Maryland. Although he was a bit miffed by the occasional lack of privacy there, he never lost his world-class sense of humor. In fact, if you asked for a description from pretty much all the folks who knew him, it's likely "witty and hilarous" would top their lists.
Richard Wright, you made a big difference in the lives you touched, and you are missed.
Find
TRIBUTES from Richard Wright's FAU Colleagues Rebecca Lautar and Clark Bell, shared on the
Holloway Funeral Home's obituary page.
(Once there, click on the "Tribute Wall" link just under the landscape photo, in the center of the page next to "Obituary & Events")
1971 Interview with Annette Montalvo, a voice student of Mr. Wright
(The complete article, including the bits about the other two students, can be found HERE.)
NOTE: Although the clipping says "five seasons" with Robert Shaw, their association was obviously at least 12 years since their recording of West Point Song (below) was made in 1950, and the article mentions their Russian tour in 1962. And, since the Chorale lasted until 1965, the same year Mr. Wright started at Marymount, I wonder if the article was meant to say "intermittently for fifteen seasons" with the Chorale, rather than only five?
The Richard Wright Voice Scholarship
was endowed by the late Mrs. Roy Bickerton in honor of Mr. Wright.
For more information on the scholarship, go to Petersons.com
Sigmund Romberg conducting his West Point Song, from the 1928 musical Rosalie (recording: 1950)
featuring the Robert Shaw Chorale, with soloists Warren Galjour (baritone) and Richard Wright (tenor)
The WESTPOINT SONG is item 12 in the booklet for the Naxos reissue of the recording.
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