Baritone Louis Quilico Dies (con't)

Louis Quilico was born on January 14, 1925 in Montréal, Quebec, where his father owned the city's first bicycle shop on popular rue St.-Denis. He made his professional stage debut in 1954 with the Opera Guild of Montreal and in 1955 won the prestigious Metropolitan Opera Auditions of the Air.

That same year, Quilico made his New York City debut with the New York City Opera. By the late 1950's, he was an up-and-coming star on the international opera circuit, appearing regularly at the Vienna Staatsoper, Teatro Colon of Buenos Aires, Teatro Massimo of Palermo, Thermes of Caracan, and at the operas of Venice, Turin and Florence.

Quilico sang the title role in an historic production of Il Duca D'Alba at Italy's Spoleta Festival and was a favourite of French composer, Darius Milhaud, who personally invited him to sing the role of The Count at the world premier of La Mére Coupable.