I became friends with Michael Belle when we worked on Edward II together.  He was Gaveston, and I was Edward for the recording.  He said the key to our success was that he became addicted to my omelets.  It would be difficult to find another tenor who could sing the role:  it goes from an A below the C that is the lowest tenor note, all the way up to the D# an enharmonic minor third above the high C that is the standard top of the tenor range.  His brilliant, ringing voice sang these notes, and everything in between, with both the terrifying rage and sublime vulnerability that the role requires. I wish he was still here in Boston, but The Chicago Lyric and, more importantly, The San Francisco Opera also recognize his brilliance.  Happy birthday, my friend.  You can hear one of his solos from Edward II by clicking on his picture, or the cake to the left.  You can hear his entire performance of Edward II in Tableaux I-III with the button below: