Michael Burgess, Canadian tenor, remembered by National Arts Centre

The National Arts Centre has lowered its flag in honour of Michael Burgess, the Canadian tenor who died Monday evening at age 70.

A family friend said Burgess died peacefullyin a Toronto hospicesurrounded by his family.The tenorhad been battling cancer for a number of years.

• Michael Burgess, CanadianLes Miserablesstar, dead at 70

Born in Regina, the eldest of seven children, Burgess spent his formative years in Torontosinging at St. Michael's Choir School. He would go on to attend the University of Ottawa.

Burgess played the role of Jean Valjean in more than 1,000 performances ofLes Miserablesat Toronto's Royal Alexandra Theatre and on tour across Canada.

He also performedwith theNAC Orchestra.

"He was that kind of performer that could walk the line between opera and musical theatre and connect with an audience," said Daphne Burt, the manager of artistic planning with the NAC Orchestra, told Ottawa Morning host Robyn Bresnahan on Tuesday.

"You look out at a darkened concert hall and you can't see faces, but it still felt like he was looking straight into people's eyes."

• Listen to more of the interview about Burgess.

A big sports fan,Burgess was also known to hockey fans for singing the national anthem for many years at Toronto Maple Leafs home games. Hewas also the first person to singO Canadaat a World Series baseball gamein 1992.

Burt also said Burgess once presented a hockey helmet signed by every Ottawa Senators player to former NAC Orchestra music director Pinchas Zukerman,a big hockey fan himself.

Burgess appeared in television productions ofH.M.S. Pinafore, You Must Remember ThisandThe Sandy Bottom Orchestra, as well as in TV series includingStreet Legal,Border Town,andE.N.G.