Tropea,+Philip

Biographical Information:
Dates: Dates in Ridgefield:

//Marco//, a novel by former Ridgefielder Philip Tropea, tells the story of tenor Marco Santoro, an internationally renowned tenor and ladies’ man. Plagued by headaches and stress, he is eventually diagnosed with a rare disease and the operation performed to cure him causes deafness, facial paralysis, and unintelligible speech. He goes into hiding, but how long can he keep his condition secret from his family and friends?

The story of //Marco// bears some resemblances to the actual life of the author. Tropea was also a highly regarded tenor. He sang throughout the greater New York City area while also working full time to support a large family. After an illness, he and his family moved to Ridgefield. Here it was found that he had a rarely diagnosed form of brain cancer. The surgery destroyed the nerves in his right ear that controlled his hearing and balance. Nonetheless, he continued his vocal studies and launched a popular radio show from 1993 to 2000. Tropea’s mother was also a singer, a soprano, who suffered from facial paralysis, but fought hard and returned to singing. //Marco// is a tribute to his mother.

Titles:
//Marco//, 2009

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Last Updated: June 23, 2017