Donnie Ray Albert(born January 10, 1950) is an Americanoperaticbaritonewho has had an active international career since 1976.
Life and career
editBorn inBaton Rouge,Louisiana,Albert graduated fromMcKinley Senior High Schoolin 1968. He earned aBachelor of Musicdegree fromLouisiana State Universityin 1972. He went on to earn aMaster of Musicdegree fromSouthern Methodist Universitywhere he studied withThomas Hayward.[1]
Albert made his professional opera debut in May 1975 at theHouston Grand OperainScott Joplin'sTreemonisha.[1]The following year he returned to that house to sing the role of Jake Wallace inGiacomo Puccini'sLa Fanciulla del Westand portray Porgy to the Bess ofClamma Dalein a highly lauded production ofGeorge Gershwin'sPorgy and Bess.The production was transported toBroadwayin New York City where it ran for a total of 122 performances from September 25, 1976 to January 9, 1977. The production's recording won aGrammy Award for Best Opera Recording.In 1978 he made his debuts at theNew York City Operaand theWashington National Opera,and in 1979 he gave his first performance at theLyric Opera of Chicago.[2]
During the 1980s Albert was highly active with regional opera companies in the United States; with his performance credits including appearances with theBaltimore Opera,Cincinnati Opera,Dallas Opera,Fort Worth Opera,New Orleans Opera,Portland Opera,andTulsa Operaamong others. From 1981-1983 he made several appearances at theVancouver Opera.In 1982 he made his debut at theOpera Company of Bostonand sang at thePalacio de Bellas Artesin Mexico City. In 1984 he sang for the first time at theSan Francisco Opera,and that same year sang Porgy for his debut at theTeatro Comunale Florence.He performed for the first time with theCanadian Opera Companyin 1986. In 1987 he made his debut at theMichigan Opera Theatreand in 1989 he made his first appearance at theFlorentine Opera;both in the role of Porgy. In 1988 he embarked on a major tour ofPorgy and Bessin Europe.[2]
In 1996 Albert sang the title role inRichard Wagner'sThe Flying Dutchmanat theCologne Opera.AtLa Scala,he has performed the roles of Hidraot inChristoph Willibald Gluck'sArmide,and the title role in Verdi'sNabucco.Other roles he has performed on stage include Varlaam inBoris Godunov,Basilio in Rossini'sThe Barber of Seville,Count Monterone in Verdi'sRigoletto,Don Carlo in Verdi'sErnani,Don Fernando in Beethoven'sFidelio,Escamillo inGeorges Bizet'sCarmen,Ferrando in Verdi'sIl trovatore,Iago in Verdi'sOtello,Jack Rance inGiacomo Puccini'sLa fanciulla del West,Jochanaan inRichard Strauss'Salome,Nourabad in Bizet'sLes pêcheurs de perles,Timur in Puccini'sTurandot,Valentin inCharles Gounod'sFaust,and the title role in Verdi'sNabucco,Trinity Moses in Weill'sRise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny,and the title role inLouis Gruenberg'sThe Emperor Jones.[2]
Albert has also had an active career as a concert singer. He has sung in concerts with theChicago Symphony Orchestra,theLos Angeles Philharmonic,theMinnesota Orchestra,theSt. Paul Chamber Orchestra,and theNew York Philharmonicamong others.[1][2]
References
edit- ^abcEast Baton Rouge Parish Library,"Our African American Legacy: Donnie Ray Albert, M.M., Bass/Baritone"ArchivedOctober 3, 2011, at theWayback Machine
- ^abcd"Donnie Ray Albert".Operissimo concertissimo.
Further reading
edit- Interview with Donnie Ray Albert,May 12, 1990