Returning guest, tenor Richard Troxell, can sing opera like no one's business. Whether Rodolfo, Don Jose, Pinkerton, Romeo or Turiddu, he's a master. Even at the ballpark singing the National Anthem, or just kidding around with Jimmy Fallon, his voice shines. But jazz-pop?
Yes, says Richard. In fact, he has a new CD out called So In Love, comprised of pop standards and Broadway hits, performed with the accompaniment of stellar pianists Tom Lawton, Harold Evans and John Conahan, bass great Lee Smith and drummer extraordinaire Dan Monaghan. Conahan also arranged many of the cuts.
Opera to jazz-pop? It's not as big a stretch as you'd think.
Though opera is his main line of work these days, Richard started out as an actor in musical theater at the beginning of his career. So, he loves returning home to the Broadway and Pops standards. He has been a favorite with the Boston Pops, the Cincinnati Pops with Erich Kunzel, the Naples Philharmonic, the Detroit Symphony, and the Erie Pops singing the hits of Cole Porter, George Gershwin, Loesser and Lowe, Rogers and Hammerstein, Stephen Sondheim, Andrew Lloyd-Weber and many more.
Of course, his opera CV is beyond reproach, befitting a graduate of Philadelphia's Academy of Vocal Arts. He graduated from the AVA in 1992, beginning his professional career in 1993 as Alfredo in La traviata with Cleveland Opera. Since then, Troxell's been thrilling audiences in leading roles at opera houses and concert halls around the world, among them Los Angeles Opera, Washington Opera, Sydney Opera, Beijing, Houston Grand Opera, New York City Opera, Teatro Petruzelli, the Opera Company of Philadelphia, Boston Lyric Opera, L’Opéra Comique in Paris, Monte Carlo, and Toulouse. His vocal artistry and powerful stage presence have set him apart. Richard’s star turn as Lieutenant B.F. Pinkerton in Frederic Mitterand’s critically acclaimed film Madame Butterfly, received high praise from both film and music critics alike following its 1995 Paris and 1996 New York premieres.
Jill speaks with Richard about his slight detour from opera and what he's been up to since they last spoke. Musicians Lawton and Monaghan join the conversation as well. Music from the new CD is also featured.
Crossover, with Jill Pasternak, airs Saturday morning at 11:30 am on WRTI-FM, with an encore Friday evening at 7 pm on WRTI HD-2. Both airings are available on the All-Classical stream at wrti.org.
