[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 10 (Tuesday, January 24, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E67]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        A TRIBUTE TO LOUIS RONEY

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JOHN L. MICA

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, January 24, 2012

  Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Louis Roney, 
who has devoted his life both as a performing artist and in support of 
the arts. Throughout his career as a longtime leading operatic tenor, 
he has been featured in the great opera houses of Europe and North 
America. As a great patron of the arts in Florida, he has recently been 
recognized and will soon be inducted into the Florida Artists Hall of 
Fame.
  Mr. Roney's professional music career began after his studies at 
Harvard and commended service in the U.S. Navy during WWII. Over four 
decades he sang leading roles throughout Paris, Vienna, Berlin, 
Hamburg, Amsterdam, Brussels, Munich and Lisbon, as well as Italy, 
Canada, and of course, the United States. He was frequently engaged as 
a soloist all across America and Europe and appeared in numerous movies 
and national operatic festivals over the course of his career. Over the 
years he has performed as leading tenor in every major French and 
German opera house. His life work has been performing, teaching and 
supporting music.
  Though he spent his whole life mingling amongst heads of state, 
royalty and Europe's cultural elite, he never lost a deep sense of how 
art can transcend power and wealth and can be appreciated and enjoyed 
by everyone. Mr. Roney has said that, ``The artist's life is a `giving' 
proposition. And if giving is more blessed than receiving, the artist 
is more blest than those who enjoy his art.''
  Returning to his home State of Florida after his European career, Mr. 
Roney continued to devote his life to expanding cultural opportunities 
for others. He founded and for 17 years led Orlando's Festival of 
Orchestras. He served as Distinguished Professor of Music and Artist in 
Residence Emeritus at the University of Central Florida. In both of 
these roles Mr. Roney has worked with passion and dedication to make 
culture and the arts accessible to as many people as possible.
  Mr. Roney is well deserving of the honor and induction into the 
Florida Artists Hall of Fame. This recognition expresses our State's 
appreciation for his selfless service to the humanities and salutes a 
life lived with great dignity and purpose, as well as a daily sense of 
the high calling of the artist. He and his career have had a deep and 
profound impact on our community, State and Nation. I ask that my 
colleagues join me in recognizing Mr. Roney for his decades of service 
and congratulate him on the Florida Artists Hall of Fame's recognition 
of his invaluable contributions.

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