Canadian tenor Michael Burgess has died at the age of 70 after a long battle with cancer. Burgess is celebrated for his portrayal of Jean Valjean in “Les Miserables” in more than 1,000 performances at the Royal Alexandra Theatre on King Street W. He was also known to sports fans for his inspiring renderings of “O Canada”. Mr. Burgess died at a Toronto hospice Monday surrounded by members of his family. In a statement theatre impresario David Mirvish said Burgess “created the role of Jean Valjean in ‘Les Miserables,’ which was one of the first international blockbusters to have its own production in Canada with a local cast, instead of a touring version.” Burgess was born in Regina.
