American Tenor Richard Leech is one of the most celebrated lyric tenors of his generation. For more than thirty years he has interpreted many of the most demanding and well-known roles of the Italian, French, and German repertoire both on disc and on the stages of the world's leading opera houses and symphonies.Having successfully transitioned from performing to opera company leadership and administration, and Artist training, Mr. Leech is currently Director of Resident Artist Programs at Michigan Opera Theatre, where he created and heads Michigan Opera Theatre Studio, the company’s young artist development program which offers annual, full-time engagement, training, and experience to artists in the early stages of a professional career in opera. His is also on faculty with Rutgers University, Mason Gross School of the Arts, and Rutgers Opera Institute.Mr. Leech was the 1988 winner of the prestigious Richard Tucker Award. He is also the recipient of the Voice Education Research and Awareness (VERA) Award, given by the Voice Foundation, and the Giulio Gari Foundation Distinguished Achievement Award and is featured on more than twenty recordings in many of the roles for which he is so well known including Rodolfo in La Bohème, The Duke in Rigoletto, and Riccardo in Un Ballo in Maschera, and in the award winning EMI recording of Gounod’s Faust with Michel Plasson among many others. His solo release from the heart, a collection of favorite Italian arias and songs, can be found on the Telarc label and his acclaimed Deutsche Oper Les Huguenots, on Arthaus DVD.