Robert Close

1954 - 2018

Robert William Close

December 18, 1954 - January 26, 2018

Known by millions of tourists from around the world as San Francisco's Opera Man, Robert Close succumbed to cancer early Friday morning at home in the company of his daughter, Mary. Having sung in and around Union Square since the 1980's, he has been the icon of Maiden Lane for almost 20 years.
A San Francisco native who appeared on America's Got Talent, on stage at Utah Festival Opera, and at The Curran for the stellar 263 week run of Phantom of the Opera, he was best known as the larger-than-life tenor belting arias on the street. Performing at the Cannery, at the San Francisco Caltrain Station, at the Folsom Street Fair, at Bay to Breakers, at SF Pride, at Outside Lands, and in the homes of many legends (including Herb Caen, Nancy Pelosi, Willie Brown, Robin Williams, and many, many more), Robert has left traces of himself all over the city.
A long term resident of the Tenderloin, he was an icon of old San Francisco with an encyclopedia like knowledge of the people and places of historic importance. A die-hard Giant's fan, and baseball fanatic, he would gush over rubbing shoulders with greats (like Orlando Cepeda) during a brief stint working at the House or Prime Rib. Often spotted by adoring fans while enjoying antipasti in North Beach, Robert would stop everything to talk music.
The music was what he lived for. In the right venue, his renditions of Ave Maria and Nessun Dorma would leave no eyes dry. For someone so recognizable, who brought such joy and wonder to the city, it is an excerpt from the latter that feels most appropriate. Il nome suo nessun saprà... E noi dovrem, ahimè, morir! [No one will know his name and we must, alas, die].
Robert is survived by siblings Larry Close and Janice Francisconi, his daughters Bernadette Datka and Mary Susskind, and his grandson Duncan Sebastian. Information about his memorial is available by emailing SFOperaMan@gmail.com