Sanford Sylvan, A Baritone On His Own Terms, Dies At 65
The warm-voiced, and much admired, singer eschewed the glitzy life of an opera star to concentrate on the art of vocal communication.
The beloved American baritone Sanford Sylvan died Tuesday at his home in Manhattan. Lenore Sylvan, the singer's mother, along with his sister Gwen Sylvan and brother Seth Sylvan confirmed the death to NPR Thursday morning. Marc Mandel, a close family friend and director of program publications at the Boston Symphony Orchestra, said that the death was "entirely sudden" and that it was "deemed to be of natural causes." Sylvan was 65.
Although Sylvan may be best remembered by a wider public for his arresting performances in productions by Peter Sellars, including and , which were broadcast on PBS in the 1980s, he ultimately avoided the glitzy life of an opera star.
