Margalit Fox's Blog, page 13

Gregory Rabassa, a Premier Translator of Spanish and Portuguese Fiction, Dies at 94

Professor Rabassa was known in particular for making the wave of dynamic and powerful fiction that emerged in Latin America in the 1960s accessible in English.

Steve Wolfe, a Painter of Books by Their Covers, Dies at 60

Mr. Wolfe was best known for creating trompe l’oeil portraits of well-loved titles by Chandler, Proust and Joyce.

William Wright, Biographer of Lillian Hellman, Dies at 85

Mr. Wright’s 1986 “Lillian Hellman: The Image, the Woman,” the first full treatment of her life, was written despite Hellman’s fierce opposition.

Phyllis Curtin, American Soprano Who Championed New Music, Dies at 94

A mainstay of the New York City Opera in the 1950s and ‘60s, Ms. Curtin sang many leading roles yet operatic superstardom eluded her.

T. Marshall Hahn Jr., Who Remade Virginia Tech as President, Dies at 89

Dr. Hahn transformed a regional military college with a mostly white, male student body into a diverse, internationally renowned research university.

John Margolies, Photographer of Whimsical Architecture, Dies at 76

For decades, Mr. Margolies went out of his way to capture images of unusual sites like the Donut Hole in La Puente, Calif.

Jane Little, Atlanta’s Venerable Bassist, Dies at 87

Ms. Little played 71 years to become the musician longest serving in a single orchestra.

Robert W. Gutman, Biographer of Wagner and Mozart, Dies at 90

Mr. Gutman shed new light on the composers’ lives, and also taught at several schools.

Martin Friedman, Whose Vision Shaped Walker Art Center, Dies at 90

Mr. Friedman remade a Minnesota landmark into a cultural destination, and after retirement delighted Manhattan with art at Madison Square Park.

Isao Tomita Dies at 84; Combined Electronic and Classical Music

Mr. Tomita’s work was reported to have influenced musicians around the world, among them Stevie Wonder and the Japanese techno-pop group Yellow Magic Orchestra.