Opera is an arena dominated by Europeans, but Blacks have made their mark on it as well. Robert McFerrin Sr. was the first to sing in an opera at New York’s Metropolitan Opera in 1955. The late baritone, who is the father of vocalist extraordinaire Robert “Bobby” McFerrin Jr., paved the way for the Black men of opera today.
The legendary Marian Anderson beat McFerrin to the punch with her debut performance at The Met that same year, however. But both artists singing at the prestigious opera house began to shift the perception of Black people within the predominately-European musical genre.
Tenor and professor George Shirley (pictured) counts McFerrin as an influence and made history himself by becoming the first Black man to sing a lead role in an opera at The Met. Shirley is the Joseph Edgar Maddy Distinguished University Emeritus Professor of Voice at the University of Michigan and still runs a studio at the school. Bass-baritone Simon Estes became an international sensation in the ’60’s and is one of many individuals responsible for shattering the racial prejudices Black opera singers faced.
Current Black male stars of opera include tenor Lawrence Bronwnlee of Ohio, tenor Issachah Savage from the Philadelphia area, and baritone Eric Owens, also of Philadelphia. While Black male singers in opera are vastly underrepresented in the genre, the successes of the aforementioned trio is paving new paths for a crop of rising stars.
Baritone Solomon Howard has won rave reviews for the richness of his voice and his dashing good looks after playing the role of boxing great Muhammad Ali in the stage play, Approaching Ali. Texas native Norman Garrett also sings in baritone, and is currently based in Philadelphia with the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts. 26-year-old Atlanta Native Reginald Smith has been winning nationwide competitions for his powerful baritone voice.
