- Richard Pearlman
Richard Pearlman (1938–
8 April 2006 ) was an American theatre and opera director and educator known for his encyclopedic knowledge on every aspect ofopera from stage direction to makeup.Born in
Norwalk, Connecticut and raised inTucson, Arizona , Pearlman received a degree in English fromColumbia University in New York, and began his career in opera as a resident stage director at theMetropolitan Opera from 1964 to 1967 where he worked withGian Carlo Menotti ,Franco Zeffirelli ,Luchino Visconti andTyrone Guthrie . While serving as assistant director for an absent Zeffirelli, Pearlman directed his first opera, Donizetti's "Lucia di Lammermoor " at theLyric Opera of Chicago in 1962.These experiences led to his first credited direction, the first American staging of Berlioz's "
Béatrice et Bénédict " for theWashington National Opera in the 1964-65 season. After a period as a staff director at the Metropolitan Opera, he became General Director of Washington Opera from 1968 to 1970. His work there included a version of "The Medium " recorded by Columbia, the operatic debut of film starMadeline Kahn , and a highly regarded film/live action production of "Turn of the Screw" withBenita Valente andEleanor Steber .In the years that followed, Pearlman made numerous directing debuts across the U.S. His association with
San Francisco Opera 's Spring Opera Theatre began in 1971 with Donizetti's "Don Pasquale " and continued with six more productions through 1976.Pearlman staged the world premiere of
George Rochberg 's "The Confidence Man " at theSanta Fe Opera in 1982. In 1971, he directed the first professionally mounted production ofThe Who 'srock opera "Tommy" starringBette Midler , forSeattle Opera . In 1987 he staged and produced the premiere of "Reaching for the Moon ", a hitherto-unperformed musical by George andIra Gershwin .From 1976 to 1995, Pearlman served as director of the Eastman Opera Theatre at
Rochester University 'sEastman School of Music where he trained many important singers includingRenée Fleming .In 1995 Pearlman was appointed director of the
Lyric Opera Center for American Artists , the Lyric Opera of Chicago’s apprenticip program where he helped launch the careers of scores of young singers, includingNicole Cabell ,Erin Wall ,Maria Kanyova ,Dina Kuznetsova ,Matthew Polenzani ,David Cangelosi andChristopher Feigum .Pearlman productions had a reputation for both faithflul adherence to the intentions of the composer and bold interpretation. A production of Monteverdi’s "
L'incoronazione di Poppea " was updated to Mussolini's Italy in the 1930s, a production of Mozart's "The Magic Flute " featuring a liveboa constrictor , and a staging of Britten 's "Albert Herring " was a wicked send-up of then-British Prime MinisterMargaret Thatcher 's Toryutopia . "Opera is the music," he once said. "If you try to go against that, it never comes out right."Also active as a writer and translator, his translations of "
La bohème ", "La Périchole ", "Faust", "La finta giardiniera ", and "La cambiale di matrimonio " (rechristened "The IOU Wedding") are frequently performed.He died from cancer at
Rush University Medical Center inChicago [http://www.playbillarts.com/news/article/4314.html] .
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.