Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
WINONA LAKE - With a voice described as resonant, lyrical and expressive, critics are hardly critical of tenor Don Bernardini's talent.
He's performed operas by Beethoven, Berlioz, Mozart, Puccini, Rossini and Verdi on stages in Germany, Italy, Spain and Switzerland as well as in Israel, South America and Mexico.
In North America he's performed with opera companies in Baltimore, Calgary, Chautauqua, Cincinnati, Portland, Seattle and Washington and has been guest soloist in Oklahoma City, Buffalo, Columbus, and Denver, to list just a few of his appearances.
He's the latest addition to the Grace College School of Music and will teach singing technique.
"We are so excited to have him," said Dr. Patrick Kavanaugh, music department chairman. "There were a lot of other colleges trying to get him. We couldn't be happier to have him on the staff."
Bernardini is no stranger to Indiana. He's an Indiana University graduate and has performed in Indianapolis, Evansville and Fort Wayne. He's also pursuing a master's degree at IU.
Tucked into a southside office at Beyer Music Hall on the Grace College campus, where a desk shares space with a piano, Bernardini said he's glad to be at a small school.
"It's an opportunity to start a new program, since they've declared themselves a College of Music. I can shape it the way I would like.
"There are excellent young voices, young people of character and spirituality here."
He's not going to insist each student become an opera singer.
"I'm going to teach good vocal technique so these kids don't hurt themselves. They're 18, 19 years old. Singing is a long, patient process. I wish I had me as an instructor when I was their age. I would've gone ahead a lot quicker."
Bernardini came from the University of Oklahoma where he was a voice professor.
He hopes to leave a legacy here.
"There's something to be said for individual attention, which is available in a small program., where everyone knows everyone's name."
Born in the Bronx Borough of New York City to a NYC firefighter and a telephone operator, Bernardini grew up just a couple of subway stops from Yankee Stadium.
He played football and baseball in high school and performed in the high school musical productions during the off season. He was asked to apply to Julliard to study music, but his practical father said he wouldn't make any money singing for a living.
"My father sang when he was a young man, but there wasn't any formal music in the house. But dad had a record, everyone did, with (tenor) Jussi Bjrling on one side and (baritone) Robert Merrill on the other."
An only child who was sometimes left to his own devices, Bernardini slipped the record onto the phonograph one day and was captivated by what he heard.
"Well, Bjrling was singing 'Mother, Another Kiss,' about to get killed in a dual, over a woman, of course, and I couldn't have picked another voice to so touch the soul."
He never forgot those legendary voices.
He attended the Virginia Military Institution in Alexandria. On the day he graduated, he was commissioned in the Air Force and got married.
Bernardini was one of those white-gloved officers in charge of the Minuteman Missiles. His work was underground protecting the U.S. against the USSR.
Oh, he sang a bit.
"The acoustics in the missile silos is very good," he said, laughing.
The missiles weren't a very good audience, however.
Deciding he'd been a combat commander long enough, he asked the Air Force for a change of billet. He was accepted to the Air Force Academy to become an instructor in English literature. He was accepted, as long as he spent another year underground.
He resigned his commission and attended Indiana University to learn how to sing.
"And, boy, did I ever try to get back in the Air Force," he said.
He was 30 years old at the time and a penniless student, despite a Veterans Administration stipend to attend school.
To make ends meet, while learning to sing, read music and study foreign languages, he supported himself with three church jobs, as a singing waiter and by selling jewelry.
He prayed for guidance and got through the program.
After graduation he auditioned for an apprentice position in Colorado and caught the ear of a Columbia Artists agent. She asked him to look her up if he ever got to New York City. That was an easy trip for the Bronx-born native. The agent signed him on and he started working.
That was 22 years ago. He's been singing and teaching others how to sing ever since.
"I spent about seven years in the U.S. and then went to Europe, where opera was born. There is opera or oratorio work in every town of any size. In the big cities there are the churches and opera houses. The government feels it is important to support artists with funds so they can perform or write music.
"In the U.S., musical theatre is more popular and the companies are dependent on ticket sales. The opera companies are fewer, they perform abut 10 popular operas. They can't take a chance on people not coming."
Bernardini said in Europe the government pays for about 70 percent of an opera company's expenses, 20 percent comes from donations and 10 percent from ticket sales. In the U.S., the income ratios are just the opposite.
"God gives us all talents and it is a sin not to use that talent to the best of our ability."
He admires the drive and energy of the music department's staff.
"I'm so impressed with Dr. Kavanaugh and (Assistant chairman) Dr. (James) Kraft. They're good men. Then there's Arids (Faber) and Tim (Sandborn) and Sandy (Avey) who keeps everything running so well."
Bernardini has two sons, ages 15 and 13, who attend school in Switzerland.
