Opera Fanatic Turns Techno Geek, Races Against Time
Stefan Zucker is literally the "Opera Fanatic," having created and hosted that show for Columbia University's radio station for 12 years. He also appeared in the Guinness Book of World Records for some unusual operatic athletics. But his mission now is restoring decaying early opera recordings.

Zucker is an expert on opera, but his passion makes him a fanatic. He is recognized around the world for the depth of his caring and his knowledge. In an April 29, 2003 article in the New York Times, former Met tenor Franco Corelli says, "Zucker is important to music. He knows everything about opera." (Everything - wow!)

He isn't known for his voice, although he was once a performing tenor with an unusual distinction. In 1980, the Guinness Book of World Records listed him as "the world's highest tenor." In 1972, Zucker had become the first to pull off the impossible: singing the role of Salvini in the world premiere version of Bellini's "Adelson e Salvini," Zucker actually sang his part as written. No one had ever tried this before, because it required hitting an A above high C and holding it for almost 4 seconds.

This is a very high note for a male voice, and the result of hitting the note, which Zucker did, is not necessarily a pretty one. Zucker's feat earned him some supporters, but also some critical complaints along the line of "scratching of a fingernail on a blackboard," etc.

From 1982 to 1994, he plied his expertise on his show, "Opera Fanatic." Since its cancellation, he has been racing to preserve and restore recordings and films from the early days of recorded opera. Sometimes taking as long as three hours to carefully delete a single click or pop on a scratched LP master, or taking five months to remaster a complete recording, Zucker's mission is to save pieces of history before they decompose.

In order to achieve his goals, Zucker has had to learn the intricacies of modern digital music workstations as well as the idiosyncrasies of every recording medium used during the 20th century. He now claims to enjoy "curling up with the current issue of the Journal of the Audio Engineering Society."

Through his non-profit Bel Canto Society, opera fans can enjoy the fruits of his labors, as well as tap into his expertise (and hear his old shows, including interviews with now-deceased or retired opera icons, re-run for posterity).

Listen to the Opera Fanatic show via web re-broadcasts

Learn more about Zucker's non-profit Bel Canto Society

Curl up with the Audio Engineering Society's web site

Read the April 29, 2003 NY Times article by William Honan [fee required]