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  • Jonathan Kandell

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Benita Valente, Acclaimed Bel Canto Soprano, Is Dead at 91

Her career spanned decades, included performances at the Metropolitan Opera and brought her effusive praise from critics and operaphiles.

Rodion Shchedrin, Composer Who Captured Russia’s Soul, Dies at 92

He drew on Russian literature for his stage works and was an eager experimenter, inspired by folk tales, religious mysticism and melodrama.

Marcel Ophuls, ‘The Sorry and the Pity’ Director, Dies at 97

He was best-known for “The Sorrow and the Pity,” a landmark film that debunked ideas of vast French resistance to the Nazi occupation.

Luigi Alva, Elegant Tenor With a Lighthearted Touch, Dies at 98

A Peruvian-born international star, he made a specialty of roles in operas by Donizetti, Rossini and Mozart, becoming one of their pre-eminent interpreters.

Lee Shau-Kee, Hong Kong Real Estate Tycoon, Dies at 97

Sometimes called the Warren Buffett of Hong Kong, he made his billions initially building apartments for middle-class descendants of refugees from mainland China.

Paul Plishka, Prolific Soloist at the Met, Dies at 83

Known for his liquid bass tones and flawless diction, he appeared in 88 roles, many of them comic, over 1,672 performances at the Metropolitan Opera.

Ratan Tata, Whose Indian Business Empire Went Global, Dies at 86

The patriarch of a powerful family, his Tata Group put an indelible stamp on Indian life while acquiring British brand names like Tetley Tea and…

Jim Simons, Math Genius Who Conquered Wall Street, Dies at 86

Using advanced computers, he went from M.I.T. professor to multibillionaire. His Medallion fund had 66 percent average annual returns for decades.

Ted Morgan, 91, Dies; Pulitzer-Winning Writer Straddled Two Cultures

An esteemed journalist and author, he was born to a French count but later shed his aristocratic roots (and name) to became a U.S. citizen.

Renata Scotto, Opera Diva Who Inhabited Roles, Dies at 89

Ms. Scotto, a leading Italian soprano, sang more than two dozen roles at the Metropolitan Opera and was a charismatic and demanding stage partner.