Dedicaton of the Richard Tucker Monument

In 1980 Mayor Koch dedicted the monument to the great Richard Tucker at the park outside Lincoln Center. Here is a brief clip that features Robert Merrill, Sarah Tucker, Tony Randall, Rise Stevens, and Bidu Sayao. Long live the great Tucker!!!!

Category:

Music

Tags:

• opera
• Merrill
• Tucker

[GermanOperaSinger]

Every time I visit NYC I try to find time to visit Tucker's statue and pay my respects. When I lived near the area I took it for granted and never went. Now even when I pass New York I hardly have time to go because of my schedule. It's really a shame.

[halavey]

thanks for the post, never saw it but remember when it took place. I am sending it to Richard's son, sure he will enjoy it and seeing his mother.

[Danzig987]

This is very interesting footage -- I wonder where it's been hiding all these years. Mayor Koch is animated and Tony Randall the consummate emcee. Somehow, I can't imagine Mayor Bloomberg mustering up any passion at all for an event such as this. And Rise Stevens looks classy and elegant as she always does; and she's still going strong today after nearly 97 years. Thanks for posting this great historical artifact.

[halavey]

Well of course Domingo made a big name while RT was at the met but PD was born in 1941 so when he came into the met Tucker was already in his mid 50's, not young really and compared to the 1930's 1940's and 50's they did not have as many great tenors. Domingo was a fine artist and we know he is a very very intelligent man but his voice was not  as fine as Tucker's in his prime IMO but he was good enough to be at the met. at that time. Look at what they have now by comparison to the 50's

[VinylToVideo]

Perhaps not but with Tucker no longer around Mingo's career at the Met certainly flourished and that was perhaps as much of a blow to opera in general as losing Tucker. The standards of the audiences have gone down and now they don't get anymore than they demand. Obviously this can't all be be blamed on Mingo but with the Met being one of probably three of the most important companies in the world, going from Tucker as the principal tenor to Mingo was certainly a HUGE downgrade.

[Mooorhe]

Domingo was having no trouble making his name at the Met while Tucker was around.

[halavey]

I also see henry and barry tucker, on the right of the screen and henry also on the left of the screen when merrill announces he will sing for richard, also the grandchildren. Domingo on screen left.

[GermanOperaSinger]

Certainly a huge blow to opera all over the world. He was the last great house tenor - no one since has been able to thrill audiences as much as he. Tucker was really second only to Caruso in most aspects, no question.

[VinylToVideo]

I've never been to New York but when I do that would certainly be the only thing in and around Lincoln Center I'd be interested in seeing. Oh, Is that Mingo (where's the Do?) to our left of Merrill? How unfortunate that he was to become one of the Met's biggest names following the loss of Tucker. Had Tucker survived another 5 or 10 years who'd know if anyone would even know of Mingo in America today. Losing Tucker was certainly a huge blow to opera in America.

[VinylToVideo]

Fantastic; unfortunately today the monument sits almost neglected. Thank God it's still there and hopefully remains.