Anthony Laciura
Encyclopedia
Anthony Laciura is an American operatic tenor
, noted for his abilities as a comprimario
. Born in New Orleans, he studied voice there with Charles Paddock, also the teacher of Ticho Parly
.
As a boy soprano
, Laciura made his operatic debut in a small role in Louise, in March 1965, at the New Orleans Opera
Association, opposite the last performances in this opera of Dorothy Kirsten
and Norman Treigle
. As an adult, he would give many performances with that company, and would earn music degrees from Loyola University of the South and Tulane University
.
On the Opening Night of the 1982-83 season, the tenor debuted with the Metropolitan Opera
, where he has appeared well over 800 times. That first role was the Major-domo in Der Rosenkavalier, with Dame Kiri Te Kanawa
. In fact, that production was televised, as were Laciura's performances in La forza del destino (directed by John Dexter
, 1984), Francesca da Rimini (with Renata Scotto
and Plácido Domingo
, 1984), Tosca (1985), Le nozze di Figaro (opposite Ruggero Raimondi
, and produced by Jean-Pierre Ponnelle
, 1985), Die Fledermaus (1987), Carmen (in Sir Peter Hall's production, 1987), Turandot (conducted by James Levine
, 1987), Les contes d'Hoffmann (1988), Ariadne auf Naxos (with Jessye Norman
, 1988), La fanciulla del West (1992), Falstaff (with Paul Plishka
, Mirella Freni
, and Marilyn Horne
, 1992), I lombardi alla prima crociata (opposite Luciano Pavarotti
, 1993), Billy Budd (1997), Le nozze di Figaro (1998), and Wozzeck (2001). Several of these productions have been published on DVD. The tenor's final appearance at the Met was in The Gambler (2008). In October 2011, he returned to the New Orleans Opera, for Emperor Altoum, in Turandot.
Laciura has also appeared with companies in Geneva, Amsterdam, Montreal, Mexico City, Tokyo, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, and, especially, Santa Fe. In recent seasons, he has turned to stage direction, as well. As of 2010, he is seen in the HBO television series, Boardwalk Empire, which is produced by Martin Scorsese
.
He has lived in Teaneck, New Jersey
, with his wife, Joel, since 1986.
Tenor
The tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2...
, noted for his abilities as a comprimario
Comprimario
A Comprimario is a supporting role in an opera. Derived from the Italian "con primario", or "with the primary", the term refers to a performer who sings small role pieces....
. Born in New Orleans, he studied voice there with Charles Paddock, also the teacher of Ticho Parly
Ticho Parly
Ticho Parly was a Danish Heldentenor who sang leading roles in most of the major opera houses of Europe as well as the United States, including the Metropolitan Opera, where he debuted in 1966 as Tristan opposite Birgit Nilsson in Tristan und Isolde.-Biography:Parly was born in Copenhagen on July...
.
As a boy soprano
Boy soprano
A boy soprano is a young male singer with an unchanged voice in the soprano range. Although a treble, or choirboy, may also be considered to be a boy soprano, the more colloquial term boy soprano is generally only used for boys who sing, perform, or record as soloists, and who may not necessarily...
, Laciura made his operatic debut in a small role in Louise, in March 1965, at the New Orleans Opera
New Orleans Opera
Opera has long been part of the musical culture of New Orleans, Louisiana. Operas have regularly been performed in the city since the 1790s, and for the majority of the city's history since the early 19th century, New Orleans has had a resident company regularly performing opera in addition to...
Association, opposite the last performances in this opera of Dorothy Kirsten
Dorothy Kirsten
Dorothy Kirsten was an American operatic soprano.-Biography:...
and Norman Treigle
Norman Treigle
Norman Treigle was an American operatic bass-baritone, who was acclaimed for his great abilities as a singing-actor, and specialized in roles that evoked villainy and terror....
. As an adult, he would give many performances with that company, and would earn music degrees from Loyola University of the South and Tulane University
Tulane University
Tulane University is a private, nonsectarian research university located in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States...
.
On the Opening Night of the 1982-83 season, the tenor debuted with the Metropolitan Opera
Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera is an opera company, located in New York City. Originally founded in 1880, the company gave its first performance on October 22, 1883. The company is operated by the non-profit Metropolitan Opera Association, with Peter Gelb as general manager...
, where he has appeared well over 800 times. That first role was the Major-domo in Der Rosenkavalier, with Dame Kiri Te Kanawa
Kiri Te Kanawa
Dame Kiri Jeanette Te Kanawa, ONZ, DBE, AC is a New Zealand / Māori soprano who has had a highly successful international opera career since 1968. Acclaimed as one of the most beloved sopranos in both the United States and Britain she possesses a warm full lyric soprano voice, singing a wide array...
. In fact, that production was televised, as were Laciura's performances in La forza del destino (directed by John Dexter
John Dexter
John Dexter was an English theatre, opera, and film director.- Theatre :Born in Derby, England, Dexter left school at the age of fourteen to serve in the British army during World War II. Following the war, he began working as a stage actor before turning to producing and directing shows for...
, 1984), Francesca da Rimini (with Renata Scotto
Renata Scotto
Renata Scotto is an Italian soprano and opera director.Recognized for her sense of style, musicality and as a remarkable singer-actress, Scotto is considered one of the preeminent singers of her generation, specializing in the bel canto repertoire with excursions into the verismo and Verdi...
and Plácido Domingo
Plácido Domingo
Plácido Domingo KBE , born José Plácido Domingo Embil, is a Spanish tenor and conductor known for his versatile and strong voice, possessing a ringing and dramatic tone throughout its range...
, 1984), Tosca (1985), Le nozze di Figaro (opposite Ruggero Raimondi
Ruggero Raimondi
Ruggero Raimondi is an Italian bass-baritone opera singer who has also appeared in motion pictures.-Early training and career:Ruggero Raimondi was born in Bologna, Italy, during World War II...
, and produced by Jean-Pierre Ponnelle
Jean-Pierre Ponnelle
Jean-Pierre Ponnelle was a noted French opera director.-Biography:Ponnelle was born in Paris. He studied philosophy, art, and history there and, in 1952, began his career in Germany as a theatre designer for Hans Werner Henze's opera Boulevard Solitude...
, 1985), Die Fledermaus (1987), Carmen (in Sir Peter Hall's production, 1987), Turandot (conducted by James Levine
James Levine
James Lawrence Levine is an American conductor and pianist. He is currently the music director of the Metropolitan Opera and former music director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Levine's first performance conducting the Metropolitan Opera was on June 5, 1971, and as of May 2011 he has...
, 1987), Les contes d'Hoffmann (1988), Ariadne auf Naxos (with Jessye Norman
Jessye Norman
Jessye Norman is an American opera singer. Norman is a well-known contemporary opera singer and recitalist, and is one of the highest paid performers in classical music...
, 1988), La fanciulla del West (1992), Falstaff (with Paul Plishka
Paul Plishka
Paul Plishka is a Ukrainian-American bass opera singer.Mr Plishka comes from Old Forge, Pennsylvania and Paterson, New Jersey; his parents were American-born children of Ukrainian immigrants...
, Mirella Freni
Mirella Freni
Mirella Freni, birth name Mirella Fregni, is an Italian opera soprano whose repertoire includes Verdi, Puccini, Mozart and Tchaikovsky...
, and Marilyn Horne
Marilyn Horne
Marilyn Horne is an American mezzo-soprano opera singer. She specialized in roles requiring a large sound, beauty of tone, excellent breath support, and the ability to execute difficult coloratura passages....
, 1992), I lombardi alla prima crociata (opposite Luciano Pavarotti
Luciano Pavarotti
right|thumb|Luciano Pavarotti performing at the opening of the Constantine Palace in [[Strelna]], 31 May 2003. The concert was part of the celebrations for the 300th anniversary of [[St...
, 1993), Billy Budd (1997), Le nozze di Figaro (1998), and Wozzeck (2001). Several of these productions have been published on DVD. The tenor's final appearance at the Met was in The Gambler (2008). In October 2011, he returned to the New Orleans Opera, for Emperor Altoum, in Turandot.
Laciura has also appeared with companies in Geneva, Amsterdam, Montreal, Mexico City, Tokyo, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, and, especially, Santa Fe. In recent seasons, he has turned to stage direction, as well. As of 2010, he is seen in the HBO television series, Boardwalk Empire, which is produced by Martin Scorsese
Martin Scorsese
Martin Charles Scorsese is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, and film historian. In 1990 he founded The Film Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to film preservation, and in 2007 he founded the World Cinema Foundation...
.
He has lived in Teaneck, New Jersey
Teaneck, New Jersey
Teaneck is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, and a suburb in the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 39,776, making it the second-most populous among the 70 municipalities in Bergen County....
, with his wife, Joel, since 1986.
Discography
- Donizetti: Lucia di Lammermoor (Studer, Domingo, Pons, Ramey; Marin, 1990) Deutsche GrammophonDeutsche GrammophonDeutsche Grammophon is a German classical record label which was the foundation of the future corporation to be known as PolyGram. It is now part of Universal Music Group since its acquisition and absorption of PolyGram in 1999, and it is also UMG's oldest active label...
- Mozart: Le nozze di Figaro (Te Kanawa, Upshaw, Hampson, Furlanetto; Levine, 1990) Deutsche Grammophon
- Puccini: Madama Butterfly (Freni, Berganza, Carreras, Pons; Sinopoli, 1988) Deutsche Grammophon
- Puccini: Manon Lescaut (Freni, Pavarotti; Levine, 1993) Deutsche Grammophon
- Puccini: Tosca (Freni, Domingo, Ramey; Sinopoli, 1990) Deutsche Grammophon
- Verdi: La traviata (Studer, Pavarotti, Pons; Levine, 1991) Deutsche Grammophon
- Verdi: Il trovatore (Millo, Domingo; Levine, 1991) SonySony, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
- Wagner: Parsifal (Norman, Domingo; Levine, 1991) Deutsche Grammophon
External links
- Official website
- Video: Anthony Laciura in an excerpt from Carmen (1987) with Agnes BaltsaAgnes BaltsaAgnes Baltsa is a leading Greek mezzo-soprano.Baltsa was born in Lefkada. She began playing piano at the age of six, before moving to Athens in 1958 to concentrate on singing...
, Myra MerrittMyra MerrittMyra Merritt is an American operatic soprano, who was born in Washington, DC. She earned a Bachelor of Music from the Peabody Conservatory of Music, and a Master of Music from the Catholic University of America....
, etc: