Louis Quilico, singer, 75

["Deathwatch Central" <cdw@slick.org>]

Sunday July 16 6:20 PM ET

Renowned Canadian baritone Louis Quilico dies at 75

TORONTO (Reuters) - Internationally acclaimed Canadian baritone Louis
Quilico died Saturday at Toronto Western Hospital of complications from
surgery, his family said. He was 75.

Quilico, who spent 25 years with The Metropolitan Opera in New York City
before retiring to Toronto in 1998, was acclaimed as one of the leading
baritones of his era. His last performance was at a special concert in
Montreal in April of this year, his relatives said in a statement.

He made his stage debut in the mid 1950s with the Opera Guild of Montreal
and quickly rose to stardom. His career highlights include appearing
regularly at the opera houses of London, Paris, Venice, Turin and Florence.

Quilico performed most of the great roles of the opera repertoire, but his
family said he was best-known for playing the cursed hunchback jester,
Rigoletto, a role that won him the sobriquet ``Mr. Rigoletto''. Quilico
appeared in more than 500 performances of the Verdi opera.

During his long 46-year career, he won numerous awards including the
prestigious Metropolitan Opera Auditions of the Air and the Canadian
Governor General's Performing Arts Award.

His son Gino followed him onto the stage and is also a renowned opera
singer.

Reuters/Variety

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