Implantable insulin pumps. Rechargeable pacemakers. Heart attack warning systems. Robert Fischell invented them all. But with over 200 patents and counting under his belt, he still finds time for his lesser-known passion: singing.
A successful scientist and university alumnus who, along with his family, donated $31 million to establish a bioengineering department, Fischell will be starring in a musical comedy at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center called The Pirates of Penzance. The play is being produced by the Washington Savoyards, a professional opera company based in Washington.
A matinee performance on June 8 will have normally priced tickets, but the June 7 performance serves as a fundraiser, with the proceeds going to the performing arts scholarship fund. This is the first time the university has hosted a fundraiser specifically benefiting performing arts students, said Susie Farr, executive director of CSPAC. The play has already raised $260,000 in advance ticket sales, exceeding its goal by $10,000.
Written by W.S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan more than a century ago, The Pirates of Penzance is the humorous story of pirates who want to marry the daughters of an army general. Fischell plays a police sergeant who confronts those outlaws.
“It has been a life-long ambition of mine to sing in a Gilbert and Sullivan operetta,” Fischell said. “It was a true challenge in life. When you have a challenge … you have to give it your best.”
Needless to say, some people were a little stunned to learn of Fischell’s role as a singer and actor.
“You don’t normally think of an engineer being talented in the arts,” said William Bentley, chairman of the bioengineering department. “It’s not typical; it’s certainly not me.”
But not everyone was surprised.
“I know [him] very well. As wild of an idea as it sounds, it seems very understandable that he is doing this,” university President Dan Mote said. “He’s very energetic. He’s very determined. He’s a person who commits to everything he does.”
Fischell said it all started when he hired performers from the Washington Savoyards to sing at his engagement party two years ago. He liked them so much that he invited them to sing at his house for Thanksgiving, during which he got up and sang with them. Impressed by what they heard, the Savoyards later offered Fischell a part in the play.
When Fischell accepted his role, he was expecting to only have a few lines in the operetta. But when he saw a New York production of the play, he was surprised to find his character has to sing six songs in addition to several lines of dialogue.
“Oh my goodness, that is not what I [had] thought,” Fischell said. “I was very busy.”
To accommodate rehersals, which lasted for six weeks, Fischell had to miss several business meetings and a three-week vacation to Hawaii. But despite his hectic schedule, he always found time to practice.
“I would wake up every morning and go over every song in my head,” Fischell said. “I would sing in the car, and my wife is the chorus.”
At the age of 79, Fischell is much older than the other performers. But he had no trouble keeping up, said Carrie Klewin, the show’s director. Fischell did have some difficulty with the choreography, but his acting abilities impressed her.
“He has very good natural instincts,” Klewin said. “He has a natural ability for comedic timing.”
As surprised as some of Fischell’s engineering colleagues were to find that he was musically inclined, some of his fellow performers were unaware of his scientific accomplishments.
Stacey Mastrian, an alumna and lead actress, said she had no idea who Fischell was when she first met him. But after searching online, she found out about his many inventions and was amazed.
“You just don’t expect a person like that to be in your cast,” she said. “Everyone was very respectful of him.”
Fischell has already performed the musical several times with the Washington Savoyards at the Atlas Theater in Washington, D.C., and his friends were impressed with his ability.
“It was quite good,” Mote said. “He got the largest applause of anybody that night.”
But Fischell admitted that performing in front of a live audience can be overwhelming.
“To me, it’s a lot more difficult than inventing a medical device,” Fischell said. “Doing this, memorizing all the songs, at the age of 79 … was more demanding than inventing.”
Fischell said he enjoyed the experience but does not intend to pursue more roles because he is too busy with his day job as a scientist.
“This play is my singing debut; it is also my finale,” Fischell said. “I will never do it again.”
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