JOHN REARDON

New York–born baritone John Reardon (1930–1988) studied at Rollins College before working with baritone Martial Singher and soprano Margaret Harshaw. His début was as Dr Falke in Die Fledermaus at the New York City Opera in October 1954, and he appeared first at the Metropolitan as Prince Tomsky in Tchaikovsky’s The Queen of Spades in September 1965, remaining on the roster there until 1977. His other rôles included Escamillo, Pelléas, Mercutio and Albert in Werther. He sang parts in the United States premières of Prokofiev’s The Nose, Henze’s The Bassarids, and Gottfried von Einem’s Dantons Tod, and in the first performances of Levy’s Mourning becomes Electra and Lee Hoiby’s Summer and Smoke. Reardon was a splendid actor and used his lyric baritone voice with great control and finesse. He later worked in Santa Fé and directed the opera workshop at the Wolf Trap Summer Theater in Virginia. His recordings include Nick Shadow in Stravinsky’s own 1964 version of The Rake’s Progress.

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Role: Classical Artist
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