Richard Bonelli

Biography

Richard Bonelli was a major opera star in the 1930s and 1940s. His film career was incidental to his career as one of America's most prominent operatic baritones. He starred in San Francisco, Chicago, the Metropolitan in NYC and in other venues and had a very successful stint as star of his own radio program. Bonelli was not fond of commercial recordings so there are few. A significant group of selections can be found on Delos 5502, a 2-disc group of studio recordings, a live Town Hall concert from 1947 and radio broadcasts from the artists personal collection. In the 1950s Bonelli became a prominent teacher at the Curtis Institute. "Richard Bonelli" was the baritone's stage name. He was born George Richard Bunn in New York State in 1889 and passed away in Los Angeles in 1980 at age 91. Richard Bonelli was the uncle of actor Robert Stack who discussed his uncle with Johnny Carson one night on the "Tonight Show."