Norman Treigle

Norman Treigle (né Adanelle Wilfred Treigle (March 6, 1927 – February 16, 1975) was an American operatic bass-baritone, )

In 1953, Treigle made his New York City Opera debut, as Colline in La bohème. Three years later, the bass-baritone scored his first significant success, as the tormented Reverend Olin Blitch, in the New York premiere of Floyd's Susannah. He made his European debut in this same opera, at the Brussels World's Fair, in 1958.

In succeeding seasons, Treigle became arguably the top bass-baritone of the Americas, and was acclaimed as one of the world's foremost singing-actors. He sang in many experimental productions and participated in several important premieres, in operas by Einem, Copland, Moore, Floyd, Orff, Dallapiccola and Ward (The Crucible). Perhaps his greatest roles were in Faust (as Méphistophélès), Carmen (as Escamillo), Susannah, Il prigioniero, Les contes d'Hoffmann (the four Villains), Boris Godunov and, especially, Mefistofele.

In the autumn of 1974, Treigle made his debut at Covent Garden in a new production of Faust. On February 16, 1975, Treigle was found dead in his New Orleans apartment. He had been diagnosed as a chronic insomniac, and it was determined that he had consumed an accidental overdose of sleeping pills. By his first wife (who died in 2013), he had a son (who died in 1993) and a daughter, Phyllis. He had also adopted the daughter of his second wife, from whom he was separated at the time of his death.

Phyllis Treigle is a soprano who appeared with the New Orleans Opera and the New York City Opera.

Treigle Plaza On October 12, 2012, Treigle Plaza was dedicated, in the presence of Phyllis Treigle and Audrey Schuh. It is the elevated area in front of the Mahalia Jackson Theater of the Performing Arts, in New Orleans, including the great fountain. The Dedication ceremony preceded a Gala Concert, by the New Orleans Opera, starring Plácido Domingo, with Patricia Clarkson as hostess.

Trivia A fragment of the Treigle voice is heard in the 2005 Warner Bros. film, Batman Begins, directed by Christopher Nolan. The young Bruce Wayne and his parents are seen attending a performance of Mefistofele in Gotham City, and the recording used is EMI's 1973 set.

Selected discography of studio recordings Copland: The Tender Land: abridged (Clements, Cassilly, Fredricks; Copland, 1965) Columbia Records Handel: Giulio Cesare (Sills, Forrester; Rudel, 1967) RCA Victor Floyd: Pilgrimage: excerpts (Torkanowsky, 1971) Orion Offenbach: Les contes d'Hoffmann (Sills, Marsee, Burrows; Rudel, 1972) Westminster (Deutsche Grammophon) Boito: Mefistofele (Caballé, Domingo; Rudel, 1973) EMI

Selected approved "live" recordings Puccini: La bohème (Albanese, Schuh, di Stefano, Valdengo; Cellini, 1959) VAI Dallapiccola: Il prigioniero (McKnight, Cassilly; Stokowski, 1960) Opera Depot Floyd: Susannah (Curtin, Cassilly; Andersson, 1962) VAI Floyd: The Sojourner and Mollie Sinclair (Neway; Rudel, 1963) VAI Floyd: Markheim (Schuh, Crofoot; Andersson, 1966) VAI Handel: Giulio Cesare: excerpts (Sills; Richter, 1968) VAI Gounod: Faust (Sills, Costa-Greenspon, Molese, Cossa; Rudel, 1968) Opera Depot

Commercial videography Floyd: Susannah: Revival Scene (Yestadt, Treigle, 1958) [live] Bel Canto Society