Baritone Stephen Kechulius ’83 made a Bass Hall debut in September in the Fort Worth Opera’s production of “Rigoletto,” where he performed the title role of a deformed court jester. It was Kechulius’ ninth reprisal of the role that has taken him all over North America and Europe. Even the arts-savvy New York Times has noted his “elegant dark voice and strong dramatic instincts.” He has also delighted audiences and impressed critics in the roles of Iago in “Otello,” Baron Scarpia in “Tosca” and the title role of “Falstaff.” Kechulius’ rise to stardom came after years of small parts and bit roles. In 2001, he made his debut with the New York City Opera as Scarpia in “Tosca.” Since then, he’s performed with opera companies in Florida, Tennessee, Utah, Arizona, Ohio and recently in Germany and Great Britian. While in Fort Worth, Kechulius treated TCU opera students to a masters class, telling the budding performers, “There are many roads to success in opera. But there is no one right way to get there. It takes a passion. You have to discover that passion here at TCU.”