I was a student at Manhattan School of Music from 1996 to 1998 and participated in many, if not all, of the masterclasses that [Charlie Riecker] offered during that time. I befriended Mr. Riecker and went to his home on a couple of occasions to coach. He called me one day in late December to thank me for a Christmas card I sent. When he found out I was stuck in New York, away from my family, for Christmas, he invited me to his Christmas party. I was expecting a small family gathering and was quite surprised when I arrived at a fully catered party with several stars from the Metropolitan Opera! I felt so honored to have been invited to a party where as a student I sat and chatted with people like Sam Ramey!
—Kevin Rouchell, via e-mail
I met Charlie when I was a finalist for the DiCapo Opera Competition.
Charlie came to me and [asked] if I would like to work with him. I didn’t want to accept because I didn’t have money to pay for the coaching. Then I found out he wanted to [give] me free lessons for a year.
Now I try to do the same with young students with economic problems—the only way to pay back that wonderful person.
—Miguel Hernandez-Bautista, Artistic Director of the Enrique Jaso’s Opera Center, Mexico City
I coached with [Charlie Riecker] for the past 8 years, and in the 2002-03 season made my Metropolitan Opera Debut in the chorus. [I] have sung with the Met now for the past three seasons thanks to [Charlie] and all his years of fine teaching and phone calls on my behalf.
—Helen Fanelli, via e-mail
For Charlie’s expertise I would drive ten hours, stay the night in Jersey, coach for an hour in the morning and an hour in the afternoon, have dinner with a friend, and hit the road the next morning. Enough said!
—Melinda Green, via e-mail
I knew Charlie Riecker ever since he took me so graciously under his wing during the Metropolitan Opera Auditions of 1989 when I made my way to New York City for the National Finals. He coached and mentored me with great support. I coached with Charlie as recently as 2002 and his perspective on style and product was keen and exact. Charlie loved the human singing voice and spoke clearly and directly to what was there vocally and what needed to be done to get it where it deserved to be! He was an icon in the industry for all the right reasons.
—Linda Maguire, via e-mail
I lived as a small fish with mild success in NYC for over 9 years, but I couldn’t sort out what element in my singing was lacking. Strangely enough it took moving back to my hometown in Tennessee and coaching with Charlie to find the missing links that held me back. His no nonsense, succinct way with words caused me to make on the spot, easy adjustments that changed everything. These little things made the difference between “young artist” and “artist.” Now, because of Charlie, I proudly put myself in the latter category and hold tightly to the tools he’s given me.
—Jennifer Goode Cooper, via e-mail
Charlie Riecker was … always ready to lend a hand to anyone, even a young assistant director in her first season at the Met. I will never forget the day I met him. I was sent from a basement rehearsal room to bring a rehearsal costume to the stage, took the wrong staircase, and got hopelessly lost in the maze. Charlie was the first person I ran into. He took me where I needed to go and for the next few weeks took special care to say hello and tease me. For the next twelve years he was a wonderful source of advice. I liked to stand next to him backstage and hear his stories about the stars onstage. I am proud to have called him a friend.
—Elizabeth Bachman, Artistic Director, Tyrolean Opera Program
In the crazy world of technique gurus, diction mavens, and histrionic hysterics, Charlie always made singing make sense without over simplifying. He had an ingenious way of making the intimidating and perplexing moments in a piece attainable without taking away their depth or meaning. He showed me one can have height of passion for opera and be down to earth at the same time. There was never a time I worked with Charlie that I didn’t finish singing better, loving music more, and [feeling] just a bit happier to be alive. I’m sure the angels are singing a bit better now that Charlie is singing with them.
—Alison Collins, via e-mail
There currently exists a plethora of very well-established singers who nearly gave up after they were shot down at big auditions early in their careers. He convinced them not to give up; he taught them to always come back fighting; and to realize that all singers need to get used to the sight of [their] own blood. He provided an unending source of encouragement that singers need in order to succeed.
—Cantor Ron Donenfeld, Congregation Emman-El, Staten Island, N.Y.
Charlie is truly a rare breed—a man who transcends business and the world around him to make the people around him better. I speak of him in the present tense because he is always with us—in the lessons he taught us, in the gentle words of encouragement, in the warm embraces when things go right and wrong, and in his undying loyalty. He rests in peace, but lives forever among those of us who knew and loved him.
—Thomas Irwin, via e-mail
[Charlie Riecker] had the ability to tell you what you needed to hear without being dismissive or unkind. I remember him as thoughtful and measured, kind and interested. I always felt he truly wanted to help me perform at my best.
—Melissa, New York, N.Y.
