We never got to hear Italian tenor Salvatore Licitra in San Diego. He was scheduled for Don Jose in last season's Carmen but ended up canceling.

Rumor had it that he was to sing Canio the next time San Diego Opera produced Pagaliacci.

He died today.

On August 27th Licitra was in a motor scooter accident near the town of Ragusa, Sicily. It appears to have been a solo accident as he crashed into a wall.

Some might say a solo crash into a wall is a typical "tenor" move.

He never regained consciousness and was declared dead this morning. His organs are to be donated.

Licitra had his big break stepping in for an ailing Pavarotti at The Met. The role was Cavaradossi in Puccini's Tosca.

Licitra went on to sing at all the major opera houses but never became a household name.

He sang many of the spinto tenor roles such as Calaf in Turandot, Manrico in Il Trovatore, and Canio in Pagliacci.

His voice tended to be inconsistent which is probably why he wasn't more well known. He could produce solid, pleasing tones. He could also make an audience nervous when the voice was struggling as in the clip below where he doesn't quite make it up to the final note.

I'm not trying to be a dick about it--just trying to put it into perspective. He was something of a hit or miss tenor. He just died and I'm critiquing his vocal abilities? Dick-ish for sure. I just don't want to get carried away and overstate his contribution to opera.

However, Licitra was a tenor who could sing all the roles we want to hear and he did well with them. He was also coming into the prime of his career at the age of 43 so who knows what his voice would have produced.

He will be missed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WJkeMqpTw4&feature=results_video&playnext=1&list=PL815FA8B7CC121E32