Richard Conrad, singer, teacher, and impresario passed away peacefully at home in Eliot, Maine on August 26, 2019 after a long illness. His brother, Howard, sister-in-law Susan, and longtime friend and colleague, Ellen Chickering, were at his side.

Conrad is well remembered for the influentioal recording The Age of Bel Canto on which he joined forces with Joan Sutherland, Marilyn Horne, and Richard Bonynge.

After graduating from New York State University and Boston University where he studied commercial and fine arts, Conrad began his vocal studies in Boston as a baritone under Dr. Harry Euler Treiber. He pursued repertoire studies under Felix Wolfes, Aksel Schiøtz, and Pierre Bernac.

Having developed exceptional skill in managing the "head" register, Conrad was introduced as an operatic tenor in Boston in 1961 in the American premiere of Mozart's La finta semplice, following which came his recital debut in Washington, DC.

In 1963, he astonishingly caught the attention of the acclaimed soprano Joan Sutherland and conductor Richard Bonynge, and soon after joined forces with them and Marilyn Horne in a series of groundbreaking recordings of florid bel canto repertoire, including The Age of Bel Canto.

After abundant early triumphs, Rome became Conrad’s base from which he performed tenor repertoire
throughout the United Kingdom, Italy, various European music centers, North America, and Africa.
He returned to Boston (and the baritone range) in the early 1980s, establishing The Boston Academy of
Music, modeled on the influential nineteenth century performing and educational organization of the
same name. As the driving force behind this company he produced hundreds of intimate recitals, large-scale
concerts with orchestra, staged operas, and operettas for over twenty years. His buoyant spirit and
discerning artistic leadership brought Boston Academy—and its successor company, “The Bostonians”—to the vanguard of the Boston musical scene.

While leading Boston Academy, Conrad was in great demand as a singing teacher in both Boston, where he maintained a private studio, and in New York, where he taught lessons in the living room of his dear friend and colleague, legendary American soprano, Eleanor Steber.

Many of his students have appeared as soloists with the Boston Symphony Orchesta and Boston Pops, Boston Lyric Opera, other major New England-based ensembles, and dozens of leading orchestras and opera companies across North America, Asia, and Europe.

Richard Conrad leaves behind thousands of students, collaborators, and fans who will be forever grateful for the expertise, opportunities, and love he shared with them.  More information about Conrad's life and career are at richardconradbaritone.com.

Joan Sutherland and Richard Conrad sing Bellini.