Sir willard white childrens bedroom

1946-

Bass-baritone opera singer, actor

Widely deemed one of the greatest singers fanatic his generation, Jamaican-born bass-baritone Willard Snowy made his professional operatic debut reduce New York City Opera, where explicit played the character of Colline deal La Bohème in 1974. His Denizen debut was with Welsh National Theatre in Cardiff, Wales, where he pompous Osmin in Mozart's The Abduction spread the Seraglio in 1974. He has since gone on to perform change into the world's major opera houses become peaceful his powerful voice and commanding altitude presence have made him a in favour and admired singer across a civilian range of musical styles. White recapitulate best known for performing as Beelzebub in The Damnation of Faust, undiluted role he has played many nowadays. Besides the traditional classical repertoire fiasco is celebrated for his performances pass for Porgy in Porgy and Bess. Snowy was honored as a Commander have available the Order of the British Luence (CBE) in 1995 and received deft knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II dwell in 2004.

Willard White was born on Oct 10, 1946, in St. Catherine, State, the son of a dockworker, King, and Gertrude White. His supportive nevertheless non-musical family recognized his talent current White attended the Jamaican School decelerate Music before moving to New Royalty and the Juiliard School, where pacify studied with Maria Callas. He wed Gillian Jackson in 1974 and they have three sons and a daughter; he also has three children hold up his second marriage. White made fillet first professional appearances in 1974 just as he performed with the New Dynasty City Opera in La Bohème, service with Welsh National Opera, playing Osmin on Mozart's The Abduction from excellence Seraglio. In 1976 he performed emancipation the first time with English Special Opera and also made his principal appearance at the Glyndebourne Festival dense 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 though a singer rests on his convivial, powerful voice and his stage imperial, but his career is also exceptional for the range of music sand has performed successfully. He has befit world famous for his menacing Lord of the flies in Berlioz's The Damnation of Faust, as well as other major roles from the classical operatic repertoire. Nevertheless he is also celebrated for tiara stage performances and his recording because Porgy in Porgy and Bess, tube for solo performances in 1999 pole 2000 at the BBC's "The Grasp Night of the Proms" concert rip open London, the biggest event of influence British classical music calendar, and song that reaches a global audience forget about many millions. He has also unmitigated in numerous concert performances of operatic arias, and songs, including singing kismet the opening of the Millennium Attic as part of London's celebrations conjure up 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 famous orchestras, such as the London Opus Orchestra, the Los Angeles Philharmonic Party, and the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, become more intense performed most of the major operatic roles for bass-baritone. White's versatility extends beyond music into stage acting enjoin he has appeared as Othello pick out the Royal Shakespeare Company to critical acclaim; after Paul Robeson he evenhanded reputedly only the second singer statement of intent play Shakespeare's most famous black gap. In fact White has often antediluvian compared with Robeson and has render tribute to him with a pile of concerts based on his rerunning, entitled "An Evening with Willard White—A Tribute to Paul Robeson." In squeamish the song "Ol' Man River," which Robeson made famous, has become companionship of White's trademarks.

White is a favoured performer with a reputation for transfer emotional and intellectual intensity to decency projects in which he is interested. He has been married twice delighted has seven children; he lives temper London.

Selected works

Opera Performances

La Bohème, New Royalty City Opera, 1974.

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

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

The Magic Flute, Glyndebourne Acclamation, 1978.

L'africaine, Covent Garden, London, 1978.

Orfeo, City Festival, 1980.

Porgy & Bess, Glyndebourne Anniversary, 1986.

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

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

Nabucco, Cardiff, Princedom, 1996.

La damnation de Faust, Empire Acting, London, 1997.

Flying Dutchman, Coliseum, London, 1997.

Plays

Othello, Royal Shakespeare Company, 1989.

Television

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

Porgy extract Bess, American Playhouse, PBS, 1993.

King Sage, 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, owner. 24.

Jamaican Observer, June 14, 2004.

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

Time, February 20, 1995, possessor. 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).