Richard Burke has sung on some of the world’s greatest concert and opera stages, but his eclectic musical tastes, commitment to teaching, ministry in music and family keeps his feet on the ground and residing in his hometown Abilene, Texas.

As a winner of the 1985 Luciano Pavarotti Voice Competition, Richard covered Maestro Pavarotti in the Opera Company of Philadelphia’s production of La Boheme which led to an invitation from composer, Gian Carlo Menotti for Richard to make his international debut as Michele in a revival production of Menotti’s opera The Saint of Bleeker Street at the Festival dei due Mondi in Spoleto Italy.  That same year he made his American debut at the New York City Opera as Pinketon in Madame Butterfly. In 1986, Richard signed with the Wiener Staatsoper, where he sang under a Fest contract for two years. The next few years brought leading roles in Madame Butterfly, The Rape of Lucretia, La Favorita, Manon Lescaut, and Un ballo in maschera while under a Fest contract with the Staatstheater Darmstadt.

As a guest artist Richard appeared with opera and concert houses throughout the United States, but spent most of his time singing abroad. He has appeared with the Weiner Staatsoper, Bayerische Staatoper Munich, Landestheater Innsbruck, Academy of Music in Philedelphia, Dublin Grand Opera, Opera North in Leeds England, Opera Royale de Wallonie in Leige, Belgium, Teatro Verdi in Busseto and Trieste, Konzerthaus in Wein, and Alice Tully Hall. His repertoire of over 30 operatic roles come from a variety of composers such as Mozart, Handel, Gounod, Bizet, Menotti, Britten, Leoncavallo, Mascagni, Boito, Wagner, Donizetti, Strauss, Beethoven, but the love and major focus of his career was the leading roles from Verdi, and Puccini.

Richard is still active in singing concerts, recitals, and opera. Last year, he appeared in a production of A December Story, an opera written by his former composition teacher, Macon Sumerlin, and a few years ago, he appeared as Canio in I pagliacci with the Natchez Opera Festival. In his hometown, Richard sang tenor solos in the Verdi Requiem, Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, an operatic gala concert and a special solo concert with the Abilene Philharmonic. With the Abilene Opera Association, Richard has sung leading tenor roles in Carmen, La traviata, Die Zauberflote, Un Ballo in Maschera, Tosca, La Boheme, and he also conducted the company operetta, The Student Prince.

As a teacher of Master Classes, he excels in guiding young aspiring opera and concert singers as well as small and large choral groups. He has given Master Classes for Opera North, Vermont, Natchez Opera, Long Beach Opera, Abilene Opera Association, and many church choirs and community choruses, such as the Classical Chorus of Abilene. In January he will give a Master Class for voice students at Tarleton State University. In addition to being an opera and classical concert singer, Richard is also an accomplished guitarist and loves to play Blues, Rock, and Jazz in jams and concerts with friends.

Richard holds a Bachelor of Arts in Religion and Music from Scarritt College and a Master of Music in Vocal Performance with emphasis in Vocal Pedagogy from the University of North Texas. Richard served on the voice faculty of the University of North Texas teaching voice, directed studies vocal pedagogy, Italian diction and opera interpretation for five years before taking a music minister position at a local church in Abilene. Richard currently serves as adjunct faculty member at Abilene Christian University, where he teaches voice to music students and music theater students. Last semester, he appeared with the ACU Jazz Band, co-organized a Blues and Religion Lecture event and November, he sang in a special event to celebrate Dr. Charles and Betty Nelson’s eightieth birthdays in a full performance of G. F. Handel’s Messiah on the ACU campus. For eleven years Richard has given an annual Christmas concert for homeless charity in his hometown called Abilene Hope Haven.