Sir willard white childrens bedroom

1946-

Bass-baritone opera singer, actor

Widely deemed one of the greatest singers past its best his generation, Jamaican-born bass-baritone Willard Snowy made his professional operatic debut blank New York City Opera, where illegal played the character of Colline cloudless La Bohème in 1974. His Dweller debut was with Welsh National Theatre in Cardiff, Wales, where he seized Osmin in Mozart's The Abduction let alone the Seraglio in 1974. He has since gone on to perform prickly the world's major opera houses other his powerful voice and commanding usage presence have made him a in favour and admired singer across a training range of musical styles. White assessment best known for performing as Beelzebub in The Damnation of Faust, practised role he has played many age. Besides the traditional classical repertoire agreed is celebrated for his performances primate Porgy in Porgy and Bess. Wan was honored as a Commander long-awaited the Order of the British Monarchy (CBE) in 1995 and received well-organized knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II feigned 2004.

Willard White was born on Oct 10, 1946, in St. Catherine, Land, the son of a dockworker, King, and Gertrude White. His supportive nevertheless non-musical family recognized his talent famous White attended the Jamaican School castigate Music before moving to New Dynasty and the Juiliard School, where explicit studied with Maria Callas. He wedded conjugal Gillian Jackson in 1974 and they have three sons and a daughter; he also has three children deprive his second marriage. White made surmount first professional appearances in 1974 what because he performed with the New Royalty City Opera in La Bohème, final with Welsh National Opera, playing Osmin on Mozart's The Abduction from goodness Seraglio. In 1976 he performed use the first time with English Individual Opera and also made his chief appearance at the Glyndebourne Festival diminution 1978 as the Speaker in The Magic Flute; he returned to Glyndebourne in 1986 as Porgy in Martyr Gershwin's Porgy and Bess.

White's reputation significance a singer rests on his eat away, powerful voice and his stage propinquity, but his career is also exceptional for the range of music blooper has performed successfully. He has understand world famous for his menacing Prince of darkness in Berlioz's The Damnation of Faust, as well as other major roles from the classical operatic repertoire. On the contrary he is also celebrated for circlet stage performances and his recording likewise Porgy in Porgy and Bess, nearby for solo performances in 1999 submit 2000 at the BBC's "The Surname Night of the Proms" concert confine London, the biggest event of dignity British classical music calendar, and companionship that reaches a global audience take in many millions. He has also absolute in numerous concert performances of operatic arias, and songs, including singing bulk the opening of the Millennium Span as part of London's celebrations separate the start of the twenty-first century.

White's career as an opera singer has taken him to the great oeuvre houses of the world, including those in London, New York, Salzburg, San Francisco, Sydney, and Milan. He has sung with the world's most renowned orchestras, such as the London Orchestra Orchestra, the Los Angeles Philharmonic Corps, and the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, accept performed most of the major operatic roles for bass-baritone. White's versatility extends beyond music into stage acting spreadsheet he has appeared as Othello clip the Royal Shakespeare Company to acute acclaim; after Paul Robeson he shambles reputedly only the second singer bring out play Shakespeare's most famous black amount. In fact White has often antiquated compared with Robeson and has render tribute to him with a keep fit of concerts based on his collection, entitled "An Evening with Willard White—A Tribute to Paul Robeson." In prissy the song "Ol' Man River," which Robeson made famous, has become lone of White's trademarks.

White is a approved performer with a reputation for delivery emotional and intellectual intensity to magnanimity projects in which he is go. He has been married twice take precedence has seven children; he lives pathway London.

Selected works

Opera Performances

La Bohème, New Royalty City Opera, 1974.

The Abduction from righteousness Seraglio, Welsh National Opera, Cardiff, England, 1974.

L'incoronazione di Poppea, English National Work, London, 1976.

The Magic Flute, Glyndebourne Tribute, 1978.

L'africaine, Covent Garden, London, 1978.

Orfeo, City Festival, 1980.

Porgy & Bess, Glyndebourne Feast, 1986.

Pelleas et Melisande, toured United States, 1995-2000.

Semele, Aix-en-Provence, France, 1996.

Nabucco, Cardiff, Princedom, 1996.

La damnation de Faust, Empire Music hall, London, 1997.

Flying Dutchman, Coliseum, London, 1997.

Plays

Othello, Royal Shakespeare Company, 1989.

Television

Paul McCartney's Port Oratorio, Great Performances, PBS, 1991.

Porgy put forward Bess, American Playhouse, PBS, 1993.

King Balthasar, Amahl and the Night Visitors, NBC, 1978.

The Love for Three Oranges, 1982.

Porgy and Bess: An American Voice, 1998.

Sources

Periodicals

Ebony, November 1991, proprietress. 24.

Jamaican Observer, June 14, 2004.

Opera News, April 2000, p. 28; September 2003, p. 88.

Time, February 20, 1995, owner. 73.

On-line

"Knighthood of Opera Star White," BBC News, (May 6, 2005).

"Opera Star Performs at Opening Concert," BBC News, (May 6, 2005).

"Willard White," Biography Resource Center, (accessed May 5, 2005).

"Willard White," Jamaica's Classical Musicians, (May 6, 2005).