Carlisle Floyd, the « Father of American Opera, » has died on 340 September, aged 95. Born in 1926, Floyd studied piano and composition at Syracuse University. He began his teaching career in 1947 at Florida State University, remaining there until 1976, when he accepted the prestigious M. D. Anderson Professorship at the University of Houston. In addition, he was co-founder with David Gockley of the Houston Opera Studio, jointly created by the University of Houston and Houston Grand Opera.
Floyd first achieved national prominence with the New York premiere of his opera Susannah (1953–54) by the New York City Opera in 1956.
His second opera, Wuthering Heights, premiered at Santa Fe Opera in 1958. He wrote several operas more, the last one being Prince of Players, premiered in March 2016 as a chamber opera by the Houston Grand Opera.
His non-operatic works include the orchestral song cycle Citizen of Paradise (1984), which received its New York premiere with world-renowned mezzo-soprano Suzanne Mentzer. A Time to Dance (1993), his large-scale work for chorus, bass-baritone soloist, and orchestra, was commissioned by the American Choral Directors Association.
