Gary RIDEOUT

RIDEOUT, GARY - Opera Tenor Won International Acclaim. Gary Rideout, one of the finest operatic tenors of today, passed away September 29th, 2007 at the Sarasota Memorial Hospital. Gary won praise not only for the power and clarity of his voice, but also for his incredible interpretive ability. He realized success nationally and internationally over a twenty-year career. His repertoire included: Wagner, Puccini, Verdi, Strauss, Tchaikovsky, and Prokofiev among others. Gary performed with many of the major Canadian opera companies and orchestras. He debuted at Carnegie Hall in 1993 in Hayden's St. Nicholas Mass, and performed at the Metropolitan Opera starting in 2000 in Bussoni's Doktor Faust. Gary sang in world premiere performances of operas in Los Angeles and San Francisco. Gary also performed in Phantom of the Opera on Broadway and at the Pantages Theatre in Toronto. Among his favourite roles were from Wagner's the Ring Cycles, which Gary performed in Washington DC, at the Kirov Opera in St. Petersberg Russia, and at the Arizona Opera. His performance of Siegfried at the Adelaide Opera was critically acclaimed by Gramophone magazine as "one of the best exponents of the role at the moment". Gary was born in 1952 at Woodstock, New Brunswick, the son of the late Ronald and Alba Rideout. He grew up in a family where music was an everyday part of life. He is survived by his brother, Neil; sister-in-law, Sunni; nephews, Mackenzie Rideout, Matthew and Jason Kane; and sister, Vanda Rideout; and brother-in-law, Andrew Reddick. A memorial service and celebration of Gary's life will take place in Carleton County, NB in November. Donations may be made to the Canadian Lung Association. A proud son of Hartland, the province of New Brunswick and Canada, he will be greatly missed by his family and friends. October 06, 2007