Paul Sperry

An American tenor renowned for his articulate delivery of contemporary art songs, Paul Sperry also cultivated an expansive repertoire extending from the Baroque era through the Romantic period. He earned degrees at Harvard and the Sorbonne after studying under Richard Barrett, Michael Trimble, E. Randolph Mickelson, and Olga Ryss. Coaches Pierre Bernac, Jennie Tourel, Paul Ulanowsky, and Hans Hotter further refined his technique, cultivating a supple and deeply expressive approach.

World premieres of works by Dominick Argento, Leonard Bernstein, Robert Beaser, William Bolcom, and numerous additional composers featured prominently in his career. He originated the central role of Michael in the world premiere of Karlheinz Stockhausen’s Donnerstag aus Licht at La Scala and performed Jacob Druckman’s Animus IV at the inauguration of the Centre Pompidou in Paris. Engagements with leading orchestras included appearances alongside the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and the Moscow Philharmonic; he sang in more than a dozen languages. Smaller ensembles such as the Cleveland Chamber Orchestra, the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, and the New York Virtuosi likewise presented him in concert.

Sperry held teaching posts at the Juilliard School, the Manhattan School of Music, and the Brooklyn College Conservatory of Music. He served as president of the American Music Center and chairman of the board of the American Composers Orchestra, taught at the Aspen Music Festival, and directed the vocal program at the Pacific Music Festival in Sapporo, Japan. For seven years he led the organization Joy in Singing, assisting young singers and composers in revitalizing vocal music. His recordings appeared on the Nonesuch, Zephyr, Albany, and Innova labels. On June 13, 2024, he died of heart failure in Manhattan, surrounded by family.