Michael Chan

I met Chris briefly in 2018 when we were both watching the rehearsals of the Royal Opera House’s Ring Cycle, and I’m still struck by his effortless warmth and the kindness he radiated.  On one day, he and I followed the music using a single score and it makes me smile to remember how clearly…

I am thinking of the gesture of Christopher’s life. I have missed sharing his presence in his later years as our paths did not cross. My memories arise from his teen years not long after his family moved to AA. His creative terrain was helping when needed in the medical practice. His assistance to the…

We write this note with stunned sadness and profound sympathy.  Zeke brought so much to so many always; so giving, so creative, so full of life.   As an office, we put together a list of words and phrases that jumped into our hearts and brains as we thought about Zeke. He did love words! We are…

Lieber Christopher, Sie haben sehr gut Deutsch gesprochen, deshalb schreibe ich in dieser Sprache. In den Jahren 2005 und 2006 haben Sie bei mir in der Musikhochschule Franz List Weimar studiert, diese schöne und sinnvolle Zeit mit Ihnen vergesse ich nicht. Erst im April des Jahres 2020 hatten wir einen schönen schriftlichen Kontakt, Sie schickten…

September 2004: first time I met you, joyfully welcoming me at Dartmouth. January 2020: last time I hugged you, after celebrating my mother’s Befana in Italy. In between, too much for now, but I’ll share more. I’m shocked and I cry. Romeo is not informed, but he asked me: “Mamma, hai bisogno di un’abbracciatona?”. I’m splitting it…

I’m a Canadian opera singer, and in spring 2014 I was a guest artist at the Munich Staatsoper for a new production of Zimmerman’s Die Soldaten. It was a huge production, and one of the most fulfilling experiences of my career. It was also the first time I had ever worked with a prompter. In…