Opera Singer. A versatile tenor who sang roughly 80 roles in five languages, he is remembered for his long tenure with the New York City Opera. The child of parents newly immigrated from Italy, he was raised with a love of music and refined his art singing in churches though he did not make his professional operatic bow until 1948 when he was Don Basilio for a City Opera production of Mozart's "The Marriage of Figaro". While the City Opera was his home company over the next three decades he was also heard with the NBC Opera, the Lyric Opera of Chicago, the Montreal Opera, the New Orleans Opera, the Pittsburgh Opera, and the Havana Opera. His list of credits included Verdi's "La Traviata" and "Falstaff", Jacques Offenbach's "The Tales of Hoffmann", Puccini's "Madame Butterfly", and Richard Strauss' "Der Rosenkavalier", in each of which he was able to assume any of several parts if needed, though perhaps his signature was the comedic smuggler Remendado from Georges Bizet's "Carmen". Continuing to take church solo jobs to supplement his income, he met his future wife Metropolitan Opera soprano Miriam Broderick in the course of one of them. Retiring to Rutherford, New Jersey, in 1978, he retained his vocal ability into advanced years, performing as a soloist, serving as choir master at the Rutherford Congregational Church, and becoming a respected voice teacher. He kept busy volunteering at a senior center and teaching music in local schools until his final illness. Mr. Vellucci died in a hospice facility of Alzheimers' Disease; he can be heard on some archived radio broadcasts as well as on complete recordings of "Falstaff" and of Donizetti's "Lucia di Lammermoor".
Opera Singer. A versatile tenor who sang roughly 80 roles in five languages, he is remembered for his long tenure with the New York City Opera. The child of parents newly immigrated from Italy, he was raised with a love of music and refined his art singing in churches though he did not make his professional operatic bow until 1948 when he was Don Basilio for a City Opera production of Mozart's "The Marriage of Figaro". While the City Opera was his home company over the next three decades he was also heard with the NBC Opera, the Lyric Opera of Chicago, the Montreal Opera, the New Orleans Opera, the Pittsburgh Opera, and the Havana Opera. His list of credits included Verdi's "La Traviata" and "Falstaff", Jacques Offenbach's "The Tales of Hoffmann", Puccini's "Madame Butterfly", and Richard Strauss' "Der Rosenkavalier", in each of which he was able to assume any of several parts if needed, though perhaps his signature was the comedic smuggler Remendado from Georges Bizet's "Carmen". Continuing to take church solo jobs to supplement his income, he met his future wife Metropolitan Opera soprano Miriam Broderick in the course of one of them. Retiring to Rutherford, New Jersey, in 1978, he retained his vocal ability into advanced years, performing as a soloist, serving as choir master at the Rutherford Congregational Church, and becoming a respected voice teacher. He kept busy volunteering at a senior center and teaching music in local schools until his final illness. Mr. Vellucci died in a hospice facility of Alzheimers' Disease; he can be heard on some archived radio broadcasts as well as on complete recordings of "Falstaff" and of Donizetti's "Lucia di Lammermoor".
Bio by: Bob Hufford
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