James Michael Sparacino

Micaele Sparacino, 75, a passionate and expert advocate for bel canto opera — both as tenor and conductor — passed away Sunday, July 20, 2025, at his home in Maryland. He succumbed to health complications, which he had battled in recent years.

He may be best-known in the D.C. area as conductor of bel canto opera — the intricate opera style of the 1800s that requires precise and agile vocal mastery, which he likened to athleticism. But in his younger days, his singing and acting was enjoyed in many local productions of the comic operettas of Gilbert & Sullivan.

He founded, conducted and managed two chamber opera groups, Opera Camerata of Washington from 1992 to 2000 and Opera Bel Canto, with shows in 2003 and 2004.

He particularly admired the work Gaetano Donizetti and produced a three-opera Donizetti Festival for Opera Camerata in 1998, including the composer’s “Marino Faliero” and “Lucrezia Borgia.”

Micaele was born James Michael Sparacino on Jan. 8, 1950 in Beckley, W.Va., and grew up in Rockville, Md. He came to love opera by consuming live radio broadcasts from New York’s Metropolitan Opera.

He studied at Montgomery College and graduated with degree in vocal music from Catholic University in D.C., where he studied with Michael Cordovana and James Perdue. Later he joined the voice studio of the famed bass-baritone Todd Duncan, who originated the role of Porgy in “Porgy and Bess.” And he later studied conducting with Maestro Mario Salerno of the La Scala Opera, Milan, and professors at Catholic University.

He sang a season with the San Francisco Opera, where he was proud to share the stage with Luciano Pavarotti — and thrilled to get the superstar’s pesto recipe, but Micaele made music mostly in the D.C. area.

In earlier years Micaele sang in a variety of musical genres. At the Kennedy Center, he sang in the 1971 premiere of Leonard Bernstein’s “Mass” and in George Frideric Handel’s “Judas Maccabeus” in 1972.

He polished his musical skills and acting during many seasons in the Montgomery Savoyards’ productions of Gilbert & Sullivan operettas, often in heroic principal-tenor roles.

In the late ‘70s, Micaele conducted the Victorian Lyric Opera Company and performed in the Victorian Parlor Ensemble quartet, presenting light popular American music of the late 1800s. And at Wolf Trap Park, he sang in Jacques Offenbach’s “Ba-ta-clan.”

In D.C. he appeared with the Washington Opera, the Summer Opera Theatre Company and during services of St. Matthew’s Cathedral. He sang with traveling companies from New York, Boston, Stuttgart and Australia, and for a summer dinner-theater run of the musical “1776.” He served as music director of the Maryland State Opera Company. In 1993, he conducted the world premiere of “Columbus the Dreamer,” by Washington composer Gerald Muller.

Turning to bel canto, he founded, managed and conducted Opera Camerata of Washington for 11 seasons, starting in 1992. Notably, the company dared to stage seldom-performed operas to pique the tastes of bel canto fans. In that way, the Camerata was "boldly going in its usual style where the larger companies decline to venture,” as a “Washington Post” critic observed. Donizetti’s “Poliuto,” staged in 1996, reportedly had been performed only once in America, or maybe never.

Two or more of the productions were based on new editions of the operas, including the U.S. premiere of Donizetti’s “Marino Faliero,” co-sponsored by the music publisher Ricordi, in Milan, and the Donizetti Foundation in Bergamo.

Later, Micaele started a new chamber opera company in D.C., Opera Bel Canto, tackling a wider variety of works over four years, including famed works like Verdi’s “La Traviata” and “Rigoletto.”

Micaele is survived by his 94-year-old mother, Ada Mae (Comer) Sparacino Costa, and his following nine siblings and their spouses: Concetta M. Soleiman and her husband, Mark; Carmela G. Monteiro and her husband, Stephen. Joseph A. Sparacino and his wife, Rossana; Danny F. Sparacino and his wife, Cheryl; Cynthia M. Harshbarger and her husband, John; David W. Sparacino; Mary C. Sparacino and her husband, Andy Pitts; Matthew N. Sparacino and his wife, Geneva; and Carmen Lucia Sparacino; And many friends and colleagues and his loving cat, Buddy.

“Until we meet again; you will forever be missed and loved. Thank you for the memories!”

1 Thessalonians 4:13-14

A Catholic service will be held at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Rockville, Maryland, Saturday, September 6, 2025, at 10:30 AM.