Tenor Jerry Hadley

America lost another opera star this week, when tenor Jerry Hadley died Wednesday at age 55. He had been in a coma since attempting suicide last week.

Hadley performed several times in Cincinnati, memorably with the Cincinnati May Festival, as well as for a Cincinnati Opera gala.

In 1994, he performed an opera evening at the May Festival with Roberta Peters, in what was, I believe, her last Cincinnati performance. Here's what I wrote about Hadley:

"Who says Pavarotti is the last Italian tenor? He may be only half Italian (he joked earlier), but American tenor Hadley - making his debut - proved he has all the stuff of an operatic heartthrob: thrilling high notes, charisma and superb interpretation.

Hadley was winning as Peters' partner in duos such as 'Libiamo' (La traviata), where they took a spin on the dance floor. He concluded the program with a Neapolitan song recital (with added accordion, mandolin and guitar), knowing just how to work the crowd in 'Passione,' 'Maria Mari' and 'Core 'ngrato.'"

One of my favorite recordings of Don Giovanni is the one he made with Sir Charles Mackerras and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra for Telarc. Hadley sang Don Ottavio.

Photos: Singing "The Great Gatsby" with soprano Dawn Upshaw at the Metropolitan Opera, and in Cincinnati, at an opera gala with guest Geza von Habsburg, arts patron Joanie Lotts and then-artistic director Nic Muni