Jerry Hadley was born on June 16, 1952, in Manlius, Illinois, and was an
American operatic tenor. Hadley initially studied to become a conductor at
Bradley University but later shifted his focus to singing under Dr. John Davis,
and later Grace Wilson. His breakthrough came when he impressed Beverly Sills in
the National Opera Institute auditions in 1978, leading to a contract with the
New York City Opera, where Hadley made his debut as Arturo in Lucia di
Lammermoor (1979). Hadley's career as a leading American tenor spanned nearly
two decades, during which he performed at venues ...