Richard Dudley Fracker

Style: Opera; Classical; Musical Theatre

Title: Area Chair of the Vocal Arts

Bio: Prior to joining the MSU faculty in September 2004, tenor Richard Fracker performed regularly in opera houses and concert halls throughout the world, including ten seasons and over 160 performances at the New York Metropolitan Opera. Fracker appeared in fourteen “Live from the MET” international and national radio broadcasts, performing seventeen roles at the MET including the tenor lead in the Metropolitan Opera’s debut production of Philip Glass’s The Voyage. Known for his versatility both vocally and dramatically, Fracker has enthusiastically explored both traditional and contemporary repertoires ranging from Britten and Beethoven, to Verdi and Philip Glass over the course of his professional career. Career highlights include world debuts of Philip Glass’s Hydrogen Jukebox and Orphée as well as Fracker’s Carnegie Hall debut as the tenor lead in Glass’s demanding Civil Wars. Other career highlights include international and national performances of Cavaradossi (Tosca), Nadir (Les Pêcheurs de Perles), Edgardo (Lucia di Lammermoor), Rodolfo ( La Bohème), Rinuccio (Gianni Schicchi), Tonio (La Fille du Régiment), the Duke (Rigoletto), The Prince (The Student Prince), Alfredo (La Traviata), Sandy (The Lighthouse), Hoffman (Les Contes d'Hoffmann), Albert (Albert Herring), Ruggero (La Rondine), and Alfred (Die Fledermaus) among others and include appearances in Spain, Italy, Norway, China, Japan and Iceland in addition to extensive performances throughout the United States. A member of Columbia Artist’s revival of the Bel Canto Trio, Fracker toured throughout the United States and Canada in the role originally performed by Mario Lanza. Additionally, Richard has concertized widely with opera and symphonic orchestras in China, Norway, Europe, and the United States. Orchestral appearances featuring both operatic and oratorio repertoire including the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, the Guanjou Festival Orchestra (China), the Opera Nordfiord Orchestra (Norway), the Chautauqua Symphony, the Little Orchestra of New York, the Riverside Choral Society of New York, the Great Cathedral Series of New York, the New York Summer Music Festival of New York City, the Pueblo Symphony (Colorado), the Corpus Christi Symphony (Texas), as well as regional performances with the Detroit Symphony Civic Orchestra, the Lansing Symphony, the Grand Rapids Symphony and the Ann Arbor Symphony. Fracker has participated in the prestigious Spoleto Festival (Italy and the United States), the Saito Kinen Festival (Japan), and has worked with such illustrious conductors as James Levine, Seiji Ozawa, James Conlon, Carlos Kleiber, Nello Santi, Valery Gergiev, and Marco Armeliato and performed with many of the world’s leading singers. Awarded Michigan State’s College of Music’s Withrow Excellence in Teaching Award, Fracker’s students have won international, national and regional competitions including the Metropolitan Opera Council Auditions, Richard Tucker Foundation, George London Foundation and the Placido Domingo International Zarzuela Competition; earned apprenticeships with prestigious opera programs (San Francisco Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Wolftrap, Seattle Opera, and Chautauqua Opera among others), and have appeared professionally in opera, broadway, film and concert halls throughout the world. Additionally, Fracker undergraduate students have routinely been accepted into leading graduate programs in the country, including Julliard, Indiana, Curtis Institute of Music, University of Michigan, New England Conservatory, Manhattan School of Music, University of Illinois, University of North Texas, University of Houston, San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and Michigan State University among others and have earned substantial scholarships, fellowships, and awards. Equally dedicated to music education, Fracker student alumni currently hold teaching positions in colleges, universities and secondary education programs throughout the United States. Additionally, Fracker partnered in 2005 with fellow Metropolitan Opera colleague, friend and internationally acclaimed baritone Haijing Fu to establish and direct the MSU-China Collaboration, featuring vocal students from Michigan State University and China in a two week collaboration of rehearsals, concerts, and cultural experiences in both China and at Michigan State University. Now in its ninth year, the program has featured and encouraged more than 120 Michigan State University and Chinese graduate and undergraduate students to learn, adapt and perform in different cultural settings. In 2011, Michigan State student collaborative participants won the Grand Prize (ensemble scene performance) of the 2011 Fifth International Student Opera Competition held in Tianjin, China.

Voice Type: Tenor

Music Styles Taught: Opera; Classical; Musical Theatre

Availability: I am available as a performer; I have a wait-list for private lessons; I am currently accepting private students; I am available as a clinician or presenter; I accept students through a college or university program

Contact Information