Linda Maurine Kalellis

Linda Kalellis, a prominent lyric coloratura soprano, died peacefully at home in Pinckney, Mich. on Friday, August 28 at the age of 76.

She is survived by her beloved husband, Barry, of 35 years. She is also survived by their son Robin Kalellis of New York City.

Known professionally as Linda Thorne, she received much critical attention for her performances in both the U.S. and Europe—for the beauty of her high lyric voice, for her outstanding musicianship and for the consummate artistry which she brought to all her singing roles.

She was much in demand as an oratorio soloist and Lieder recitalist, and performed as soloist with such distinguished conductors as Helmuth Rilling, Rene Clemencic. Robert Shaw and John Nelson.

Her repertoire demonstrated a wide versatility and a broad range of styles, from the music of Bach, Handel, Mozart and Schubert, to performances of very recent contemporary music, including leading roles in numerous opera productions.

Mrs. Kalellis trained with many internationally renowned singers, vocal coaches, and scholars such as Gianna d’Angelo, Gerhard Hüsch, Julius Herford, John Wustman, Erik Werba, and Pierre Bernac, to name only a few. She won several vocal competitions, including the Chicago Conservatory Competition in 1968, and was named the recipient of a Fulbright-Hays Grant to Vienna, Austria from 1971 to 1973.

She received a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in voice from Indiana University, where she appeared in many opera, chamber music and solo performances. Earlier, she attended the University of Illinois and the Vienna Hochschule für Musik in Vienna, Austria.

In Michigan, she had given solo recitals in Ann Arbor and Southfield, appeared with orchestras in Southfield and Plymouth, and as a soloist with the Ann Arbor Cantata Singers.

She was a long-time member of the Kirk in the Hills in Bloomfield Hills and sang with the Kirk Chancel Choir. 

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