Bob Bergman, 72, Glenwood, formerly of Minneapolis, Minn., Big Pine Lake, Minn., and Medora, N.D., passed on Feb. 25, 2008, from leukemia at his home in Glenwood under the auspices of hospice.
A Memory Celebration was held at Glenwood United Parish Church on March 1, 2008, at 1 p.m. Urn burial will be at the Bergman Memorial Bench at the City Cemetery in the spring.
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Robert (Bob) Bergman and Sandra Tangen, Bertha, Minn., were married in St. Paul in 1962. Together they raised five children: Jon Emanuel, Gretchen Ann, Kristine Amy, Barbara Lee and James Robert. In 1969 the family moved to Glenwood, Minn., and have made their home on South Lakeshore Drive. Bob worked in the local manufacturing field when not pursuing his musical career. Robert also served his country from 1954-1956 in the U.S. Army and was stationed in Germany.
The family summers were spent as much as possible at their cabin on Big Pine Lake. You could find Bob fishing on the ice or water, water skiing, golfing (for real or with Jack Nicklaus on the computer), tennis (in dress socks), backyard football, backyard skating (was a speed skater), standing on his hands, holding true to his Finnish and Swedish heritage by loving to travel, inventing aberrations to scare the kids. His pets were his special friends. He enjoyed watching sports, movies and games with the whole family, explosive debates, laughing, and, of course, performing (suffered from terrible stage fright until the curtain went up), a long morning wake-up-with thick coffee, seasonally, either by the wood burner in the basement or on the deck feeling the sun's morning rays.
Starting in 1981, the family summers were spent working in Medora, N.D., Bob in the Medora Musical and Sandy managing the Medora campground. Bob's family, from way back, were all very musical people, and he got all the best high baritone genes as well as acting and other artistic talents.
As a native of Minneapolis, he studied voice and music theory at the University of Minnesota, MacPhail School of Music and is a graduate of Brown Institute of Broadcasting and Electronics.
He has performed with the Florentine Opera of Milwaukee, the Chicago Opera Theatre, the St. Paul Civic Opera, Fargo-Moorhead Opera Company and as baritone soloist at St. Marks Cathedral in Minneapolis, as well as a guest soloist at other churches. Bob had 24 operatic roles in his repertoire.
He was Virgil Thomson in the World Premier of the Minnesota Opera production, "The Mother of Us All," with composer in attendance and guest designer Robert Indiana. He was a featured artist in the Greenberg-Stokes original opera "Horsphal" premier performance.
With the St. Paul Civic Opera, he performed with Morley Meredith, Jean Fenn and Jon Crane of the Metropolitan Opera and Bert Parks, Jane Powell and Giesel McKinsy in productions such as "Tales of Hoffman," "Madama Butterfly," "Music Man," South Pacific" and "King and I."
Bob's opera, concert, recital and oratorio work includes William's "Dona Nobis Pacem," Brahms' "Requiem," Mendelssohn's "Elijah," Handel's "Messiah," "The Lowland Sea," as well as Broadway shows "Oklahoma," "Fiddler on the Roof" and "My Fair Lady."
In 22 years as a leading baritone and popular performer with the Fargo-Moorhead Opera, his credits include: "Hansel and Gretel," "Mikado," "Susannah," "Pagliacci," "Magic Flute," "Faust," "Don Giovanni," "La Boheme," "La Traviata," "Marriage of Figaro," "Masked Ball," "Rigoletto" and "The Ballade of Baby Doe."
After completing an engagement with the Chicago Opera Theatre as Don Pedro in "La Perichole," he appeared with the Florentine Opera of Milwaukee as Morales in "Carmen" and did the concert version of "Tosca" with Opera St. Paul.
He has been on a national tour of schools and colleges with lyceum programs as well as doing special guest appearances and club work with Associated Clubs. He appeared as baritone soloist in "Carmina Burana-Orf" with the Minnesota Dance Company and had successful engagements on the cruise ship, Azure Seas as well as touring with the Cornerstone Chorale from St. Louis.
Bob (The Old Timer and Badlands Bob) completed 13 seasons as emcee and featured performer in one of the northwest's most exciting outdoor variety shows, "The Medora Musical," which runs the entire summer in the beautiful and rugged Badlands of Theodore Roosevelt fame. He did over 1,300 consecutive performances without missing a "Howdy." A tribute to Bob appeared in the 2005 40th Anniversary Book of the Medora Musical.
A very special recording concert was held at the Historic Auditorium in Central Square in Glenwood, Minn. The result was Bob's first CD - "A Lifetime of Music." He was invited to be part of the first CD released of the Medora Musical's favorite songs.
Bob is survived by his beloved wife of 45 years, Sandy; sons, Jon and James (Karman), both of Glenwood, Minn.; daughters, Gretchen Collver, Ramsey, Minn., Kristine (Russ) Bakke, East Bethel, and Barbara (Steve) Jurek, Glenwood, Minn.; brother, Craig (Nancy) Bergman, Minneapolis, Minn.; and sister, Barbara (Ray) Hand, Springfield, Mass.; grandchildren, Cody and Tyler Collver, Nick and Zach Bergman, Alexander and Nia Jurek, Ashley and Allison Bergman; and eight nieces and nephews.
Preceding him in death are his parents.
Arrangements are being made by Anderson Funeral Home of Alexandria. Donations preferred to Central Square Cultural Center in Glenwood in lieu of flowers.
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