William Yannuzzi
Memorial Education Fund

William Anthony Yannuzzi, the Calfornia Opera and Baltimore Opera Company's music director emeritus, who helped students develop their voices and talents for nearly 50 years has departed his works on earth, but his memories will live on.

California Opera is honored to follow Bill’s wishes for an honorary educational fund to celebrate Bill’s uncountable contributions to the world of opera and to continue to make opera education accessible to the young artists that Bill so enjoyed coaching and training over many decades beginning in the “golden age of opera.”

Born in Baltimore, William Yannuzzi earned a bachelor's degree at the Johns Hopkins University in 1957 and a master's degree in 1958. He taught at the Peabody Conservatory of Music from 1977 to 1987. During the Korean War, he worked in Army intelligence and learned Russian, a language that assisted him when he coached students in Russian operas. He also spoke fluent Italian, French, Spanish and German.

At an early age, he was brought into Baltimore Opera as an accompanist and assistant conductor, by then Artistic Director, legendary soprano Rosa Ponselle. Bill worked proudly in close association with Mme Ponselle until her retirement and then with Ms. Garabedian. Bill supported young singers, adjudicating competitions, and while on the staff of the Baltimore Opera, rising to the position of Music Director, and as one of the founding members of the California Opera Association.

“He was an extraordinary musician and teacher who was absolutely devoted to the opera” Michael Harrison, of Baltiomre Opera and Edna Garabedian of Calfiornia Opera agree: "When you sat down with him with an opera score, you learned so many new things. He was invaluable. He had so much musical knowledge." All of the opera world agreed that Bill “possessed an incredible musical knowledge, He was a complete original, a one-of-a-kind musician. There is a void in the opera world today.. Bill had a prodigious knowledge and insatiable curiosity about opera … he was a man of strong opinions, and not shy about declaring them, but though our students may sometimes have been taken aback by his passion, they certainly benefited from his commitment to their art."

Mo. Yannuzzi conducted opera in Europe as well as the United States. Proud of his achievements with surtitles, he prepared the libretto and titles of California Opera, Baltimore Opera, and other prestigious companies. Throughout his career, he has remained much in demand world-wide as coach, conductor and pianist, and in these capacities works with some of the best known singers of the present time. Much to his delight and satisfaction, Bill continued to work closely with many young singers at the very beginning of their careers, including over 500 of California Opera’s youth, apprentice and career artist singers over the past 7 summers, and as a feature of almost 50 different COA productions and performances. In 2001, William Yannuzzi was honored by the City of Fresno and received the “keys” to the City.

This summer, we celebrate Maestro William Yannuzz’s life and career with the help of other 2006 COA artists including Italian Manager/Agent Christian Catena, NY Stage Director Michael Philip Davis, Johnathon Khuner of the San Francisco Opera, La Scalla and Metropolitan Opera Tenor Roy Stevens and Annalisa Winberg-Stevens, Russian pianist’s Ludmila Filatova and Galina Umanskya along with local artists.

The William Yannuzzi Opera Education Fund will help continue Meastro Yannuzzi’s legacy of reaching out to hopeful opera stars in need and training and presenting the finest of Italian Opera experiences in a warm and welcoming setting this summer. Contributions will be applied toward the direct education of up to 10 select artists engaging in up to 100 hours of individualized and group instruction, along with performance opportunities designed around this summer’s tribute to William Yannuzzi, beginning with La Traviata and including highlights of Aida, La Boheme, La Rhondine, and the Ring, along with presentations of archived highlights of Maestro Yannuzzi’s life and works.