On Sunday, March 21, I decided to take myself on an “Artist’s Date” (see Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way for info on that concept) and go see the Florentine Opera’s Elmer Gantry at the Marcus Center. It was wonderful, although I did decide that the title character and the baritone portraying him bore a strong resemblance to Don Draper of Mad Men.
When I returned home, my husband told me that a private investigator had swung by to see if I have heard from Richard Weber. Richard is an organist and choral director who I have known for about 25 years now. I first met him at Calvary Presbyterian Church on 11th & Wisconsin, and when I returned to Milwaukee, at Bethlehem Lutheran Church. He has been a great source of wisdom (musical and political) and humor (ditto) for me for this time, as well as a source of some income for both me and my students who I have sent his way for Christmas and Easter gigs.
I spoke to Richard last on January 2 of this year, and he told me that he had left Beth Luth and was going to be working at St. Stanislaus on the South Side. He sounded very upbeat and eager about this new job. Apparently, that was one of the last conversations anyone has had with him. He has not been seen at his apartment nor at St. Stan’s since January 4, which is when they gave him a check… which has not been cashed.
I’m very concerned about Richard. His 70th birthday is this Friday and I’m hoping that we hear from him soon; or at least hear something.
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Published by Mezzoid Voice Studio
Christine Thomas-O'Meally, a mezzo soprano and voice teacher currently based in the Baltimore-DC area, has performed everything from the motets of J.S. Bach to the melodies of Irving Berlin to the minimalism of Philip Glass.
As an opera singer and actress, she has appeared with companies such as Charm City Players, Spotlighters Theatre, Chicago Opera Theater, Opera Theater of Northern Virginia, Opera North, the Washington Savoyards, In Tandem Theatre, Windfall Theater, The Young Victorian Theater of Baltimore, and Skylight Opera Theatre. She created the role of The Woman in Red in Dominick Argento’s Dream of Valentino in its world premiere with the Washington Opera and Mary Pickersgill in O'er the Ramparts at its world premiere during the Bicentennial of Battle of Baltimore at the Community College of Baltimore County. Other roles include Mrs. Paroo in Music Man, Mother Abbess in Sound of Music, Dorabella in Cosi Fan Tutte, Marcellina in Le Nozze di Figaro, both Hansel and the Witch in Hansel & Gretel, and many roles in Gilbert & Sullivan operettas. Her performance as the Housekeeper in Man of La Mancha was honored with a WATCH award nomination.
Ms. Thomas-O'Meally received an M.M. in vocal performance from the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore. She regularly attends master classes and workshops in both performance and vocal pedagogy, and is certified in all three Levels of Somatic Voicework™ The LoVetri Method. Her students have performed on national and international tours of Broadway productions, at prestigious conservatories, and in regional theater throughout the country.
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Richard was, and continues to be, a source of musical, political and personal inspiration to me as well. My last contact with him was by email, or snail mail. I hope Richard knows how much the Milwaukee music community (and beyond!) cares about him and wants him to get back in contact with us! There's nothing we'd all like more than to wish him a Happy 70th Birthday tomorrow, in person, preferably!
A classmate of Richard's from 1959 is also looking for him has anyone tracked him down
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I ran the Bach Chamber Choir and Orchestra in the early 1970’s with Richard Weber conducting. It was a very happy time.
I note he seems to have disappeared in early 2010. Did you find out what happened to him?
Thanks
He drowned in the Milwaukee River and they found his body that summer. It was an apparent suicide.