REMEMBRANCES Wherever there’s an opera company, there’s an opera family. It’s a family of supporters, volunteers, singers, stage professionals, staff members, and fans. Each member does their part to sustain the company and animate its mission. Since the summer of 2019, we have lost a number of dear members of the Cincinnati Opera family. This list is incomplete, but it’s our attempt at recognizing and remembering some who have left us. If we have missed someone, please let us know. Also, the asterisk (*) at the end of the entry indicates membership in the Society of Angels, a giving legacy program that supports Cincinnati Opera’s endowment. See page 86 for more information.
Albert Dierckes (1938–2021) was a chemical engineer and spent most of his career at P&G. He enjoyed attending performances with his wife, Nancy. Albert was a member of the Cincinnati Opera Guild. )N FACT HIS LATE lRST WIFE #LAIRE SERVED AS PRESIDENT OF the Guild in its early days.
Tom Lippert (1932–2021) was a generous CincinNATI /PERA CONTRIBUTOR AND VOLUNTEER (E AND HIS wife, Adele, attended many Cincinnati Opera fundRAISING EVENTS INCLUDING A DONOR TRIP TO ,OS !NGELES 4OGETHER THEY DEVOTED THEIR LIVES TO FAMILY AND COMMUNITY SERVICE
Marianne Doll (1957–2020) was a lifelong Cincinnati resident. As a member of the Cincinnati Opera 'UILD SHE SERVED ON ITS EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 3HE lRST EXPERIENCED OPERA AS A TEENAGER AND SHARED HER LOVE OF OPERA WITH HER MANY FRIENDS
Susie Louiso (1942–2022) was a frequent collaboraTOR WITH #INCINNATI /PERA IN HER ROLE AS EXECUTIVE DIrector of the Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati, where she worked alongside her husband, Jack. A lifelong #INCINNATIAN 3USIE WAS PASSIONATE ABOUT PROVIDING opportunities to young people.
Marcello Giordani (1963–2019) made a single but spectacular appearance on the Cincinnati Opera STAGE IN AS #AVARADOSSI IN Tosca "ORN IN 3ICily, the acclaimed tenor delighted audiences in more than 240 performances at the Metropolitan Opera. Tom Hammons (1951–2020) sang 12 roles on the Cincinnati Opera stage across nearly four decades. (E WAS BELOVED FOR HIS COMIC ROLES INCLUDING THE 3ACRISTAN IN Tosca and Dr. Bartolo in The Barber of Seville. In 2007, he appeared in Nixon in China as Henry Kissinger, a role he created for the opera’s world premiere in 1987 and for which he won a Grammy Award in 1988. Tom was also a regular at the Met, appearing in more than 200 performances. Mort Harshman n WAS A DEVOTED FAMILY PHYSICIAN AND SERVED ON THE #INCINNATI /PERA "OARD FOR SEVERAL YEARS (E AND WIFE "ARBARA WERE ADVOcates, fans, and supporters of the company. Maria Krocker-Tuskan (1926–2020) worked as a CHILD PSYCHIATRIST FOR MANY YEARS IN #INCINNATI 3HE AND HER HUSBAND )VAN ENJOYED OPERA IMMENSELY and made a generous bequest to Cincinnati Opera in their estate plan. Lorrie Laskey (1934–2020) was a member of the #INCINNATI /PERA 'UILD "OARD WHO ALSO VOLUNTEERED WITH NUMEROUS OTHER CIVIC AND CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS !MONG HER PROFESSIONAL ENDEAVORS SHE WORKED AS AN INTERIOR DESIGNER A PUBLIC RELATIONS EXECUTIVE AND WRITER OF THE h!ROUND 4OWNv COLUMN FOR the Cincinnati Enquirer. Richard Lauf n SERVED AS PRESIDENT OF THE /PERA 'UILD AND AS A TRUSTEE AND VICE PRESIDENT of the Cincinnati Opera Board. A gifted raconteur, writer, and former P&G strategist, Rich and his wife, 3USAN TRAVELED FREQUENTLY FOR OPERA PERFORMANCES In 2020, Rich contributed a chapter to the book Cincinnati Opera: A Centennial Celebration. *
William “Bill” McKim (1940–2022) was an English LITERATURE PROFESSOR AT .ORTHERN +ENTUCKY 5NIVERSITY ! LOVER OF lNE ARTS "ILL WAS A WELCOME GUEST AT HUNDREDS OF #INCINNATI /PERA EVENTS OVER THE YEARS WITH his wife, Karen. Issam “Sam” Minkarah (1931–2021) was a regular PARTICIPANT IN /PERA 'UILD EVENTS ALONGSIDE HIS WIFE former Guild President Ellie Minkarah. Born in BeiRUT ,EBANON 3AM WAS KNOWN TO INTRODUCE HIMSELF WITH A WRY SMILE AS h3AM -INKARAH 'UILD SPOUSE v Herta Moore (1920–2021) was a centenarian and a dedicated Cincinnati Opera subscriber for more than YEARS )N 3EPTEMBER WE BROUGHT A SOCIALLY distanced opera celebration to her in honor of her 100th birthday. Gloria Morelli (1930–2019) and Arnold Morelli n WERE AVID VOLUNTEERS AND PATRONS OF the Cincinnati arts community. They attended many Cincinnati Opera performances, and they seldom MISSED THE LATEST AT THE #INCINNATI 3YMPHONY /Rchestra and Cincinnati Ballet. * Mark “Marco” Panuccio (1973–2021) made many appearances with Cincinnati Opera, including leading roles in Nixon in China (Chairman Mao) and Lucia di Lammermoor (Edgardo). A graduate of CCM, -ARCO CREATED AND PRODUCED h/ (OLY .IGHT v WHICH became a Cincinnati holiday tradition. Pops conDUCTOR *OHN -ORRIS 2USSELL CALLED HIM hTHE PEOPLE S TENOR v AND HIS FAN CLUB CALLED THEMSELVES h&ANUCCI v Solveiga Rush (1930–2020) was a professor of art HISTORY AT THE 5NIVERSITY OF #INCINNATI 3HE WAS A member of the Cincinnati Opera Guild. A lifelong PATRON OF THE ARTS 3OLVEIGA MADE A GENEROUS CONTRIbution to Cincinnati Opera in her estate plan. *
93
