Frank Porretta Jr. (May , , Detroit â€" April , , Stamford,
Connecticut) was an American tenor who had an active career performing
in operas, musicals, and concerts from through . He had a
particularly fruitful relationship with the New York City Opera from
to where he sang a highly diverse repertoire; including roles in new
operas by composers Norman Dello Joio, Carlisle Floyd, Vittorio
Giannini, and Robert Ward. For the NBC Opera Theatre he portrayed The
Astronaut in the world premiere of Gian Carlo Menotti's
Labyrinth.Porretta also starred in several musicals at the Lincoln
Center for the Performing Arts and the Los Angeles Civic Light Opera;
notably performing on cast albums of The Great Waltz, The King and I
and The Merry Widow. He made his only film appearance in the film
Song of Norway in which he starred opposite Florence Henderson and
Toralv Maurstad. After retiring from the stage in his early s,
Porretta served as the choir director at St. John's Church in Darien,
Connecticut, for more than years.Born Francis Samuel Porretta II in
Detroit, Porretta initially intended to become a doctor as his father
and two brothers were all surgeons. He entered the University of
Michigan (UM) as a pre-med major but transferred to the music school
during his sophomore year to pursue studies in vocal performance. He
graduated with a bachelor music degree from the UM in . In he won the
Grinnell Foundationâ€"Detroit Grand Opera Association scholarship
which provided him with the financial support he needed to pursue
vocal studies with Eleanor McLellan in New York City.Porretta began
his music career as an officer in the United States Army where he
served as a vocal soloist with the United States Army Band and a
singer in their associated choir from to . In he portrayed the First
Court Crier in the world premiere of William Bergsma's The Wife of
Martin Guerre at the Juilliard School. In he created the role of
Panfilo in the world premiere of Carlos Chávez's The Visitors at
Columbia University.
Connecticut) was an American tenor who had an active career performing
in operas, musicals, and concerts from through . He had a
particularly fruitful relationship with the New York City Opera from
to where he sang a highly diverse repertoire; including roles in new
operas by composers Norman Dello Joio, Carlisle Floyd, Vittorio
Giannini, and Robert Ward. For the NBC Opera Theatre he portrayed The
Astronaut in the world premiere of Gian Carlo Menotti's
Labyrinth.Porretta also starred in several musicals at the Lincoln
Center for the Performing Arts and the Los Angeles Civic Light Opera;
notably performing on cast albums of The Great Waltz, The King and I
and The Merry Widow. He made his only film appearance in the film
Song of Norway in which he starred opposite Florence Henderson and
Toralv Maurstad. After retiring from the stage in his early s,
Porretta served as the choir director at St. John's Church in Darien,
Connecticut, for more than years.Born Francis Samuel Porretta II in
Detroit, Porretta initially intended to become a doctor as his father
and two brothers were all surgeons. He entered the University of
Michigan (UM) as a pre-med major but transferred to the music school
during his sophomore year to pursue studies in vocal performance. He
graduated with a bachelor music degree from the UM in . In he won the
Grinnell Foundationâ€"Detroit Grand Opera Association scholarship
which provided him with the financial support he needed to pursue
vocal studies with Eleanor McLellan in New York City.Porretta began
his music career as an officer in the United States Army where he
served as a vocal soloist with the United States Army Band and a
singer in their associated choir from to . In he portrayed the First
Court Crier in the world premiere of William Bergsma's The Wife of
Martin Guerre at the Juilliard School. In he created the role of
Panfilo in the world premiere of Carlos Chávez's The Visitors at
Columbia University.
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