Thomas Hampson’s Song and Beyond: George Shirley
Tune in with baritone Thomas Hampson and special guests every Tuesday evening for insights into some of their favorite repertoire and recordings.
In this episode, Thomas speaks with legendary tenor George Shirley. Mr. Shirley is a Grammy-award winning tenor whose career spans 49 years and more than 80 operatic roles in major opera houses around the globe with many of the world’s most renowned conductors. He was the first African American tenor to perform a leading role at the Metropolitan Opera, marking one of many firsts in his career as an educator and performer. Mr. Shirley is the Joseph Edgar Maddy Distinguished University Emeritus Professor of Voice at the University of Michigan, School of Music, Theatre, and Dance and was the first African-American appointed to a high school teaching post in music in Detroit. The George Shirley Vocal Competition honours both his commitment to young artists and his dedication to music by African American composers.
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