Angela Brown facts for kids
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Angela M. Brown (born 1963) is a famous American opera singer. She is especially known for her strong voice and for singing lead roles in operas by Verdi.
Early Life and Education
Angela Brown was born in 1963 in Indianapolis, Indiana. She grew up in a spiritual family. Her mother was a painter, and her father worked at a car factory for 41 years.
Angela started singing at her grandfather's church when she was only 5 years old. She says these early experiences made her love singing. As a teenager, Angela sang in soul music bands around Indianapolis. She was also very active in the music program at Crispus Attucks High School. Her choir teacher, Robert Fleck, taught her classical songs. He also helped her win several local music competitions. Angela also performed in high school musicals.
After high school, Angela attended a community college part-time. She also worked at a hospital and acted in musicals at the Civic Theater. She even got to work with famous actress Ginger Rogers.
When she was 20, Angela decided to join the Seventh-day Adventist Church. In 1986, at age 21, she enrolled at Oakwood College. She first planned to study religious topics with a minor in music. However, her voice teacher, Ginger Beazley, convinced her to focus on opera singing instead. Angela earned her bachelor's degree in 1991.
From 1992 to 1997, Angela continued her studies at the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University. She worked with the well-known voice teacher Virginia Zeani.
While in graduate school, Angela started entering music competitions. In 1994, she tried out for the National Council Auditions of New York's Metropolitan Opera. She didn't win that year, or the next two years. But in 1997, she tried one last time. She told The New York Times that she "had nothing to lose." This time, she won everything! She won the regional, semi-final, and final rounds. This big win helped her start her professional opera career.
Angela has also won other awards. These include the 2000 Richard Tucker Career Grant and the 1998 Sullivan Foundation Grant. She also won the 1998 G.B. Viotti Verdi Vocal Competition and the 1998 Opera Carolina Competition.
Career
In 1997, Angela Brown moved to New York City. She began performing small roles with big opera companies. She also sang larger roles with smaller opera companies. She performed in concerts with orchestras and gave many solo recitals.
In the early 2000s, Angela started working with the Metropolitan Opera. She was a "cover artist" for lead roles like Aida in Verdi's Aida. This meant she would be ready to sing if the main performer couldn't.
In the 2003-2004 season, Angela sang lead roles like Elisabetta in Verdi's Don Carlo and Leonora in Verdi's Il Trovatore. She also made her debut at Carnegie Hall. She even stepped in at the last minute to sing the title role in Strauss' Ariadne auf Naxos for the Opera Company of Philadelphia. The Metropolitan Opera was so impressed when she filled in for a rehearsal that they booked her for two performances of Aida and 12 cover performances for the next season.
In the 2004-2005 season, Angela made her highly praised debut at the Metropolitan Opera. She sang the lead role in Verdi's Aida. Her performance was so well-received that an article about her appeared on the front page of The New York Times. She also performed in the world premiere of Margaret Garner, a new opera by Richard Danielpour and Toni Morrison.
Angela continued to perform major roles in famous operas. In the 2005–2006 season, she sang Amelia in Verdi's Un Ballo in Maschera and the title role in Aida. She also performed Verdi's Requiem in France.
In the 2006–2007 season, Angela made her debut with Opéra National de Paris. She also sang the title role of Aida for the opening of the new Carnival Performing Arts Center. She sang Bess in Gershwin's Porgy and Bess for the opening of the new Orange County Performing Arts Center.
In the 2007–2008 season, Angela sang Aida and Amelia in Un Ballo in Maschera at the Metropolitan Opera. She was also chosen to be the featured soloist for the 2008-2009 National Celebration of the Bicentennial of Abraham Lincoln. She performed the title role in Puccini's Tosca with Florida Grand Opera.
In the 2008–2009 season, Angela sang Aida for Cape Town Opera in South Africa. She also made her debut with the Deutsche Oper Berlin. She sang Leonora in Il Trovatore for her debut with Atlanta Opera.
Angela has performed with many other groups, including the Indianapolis Opera, San Antonio Symphony, and Cincinnati Pops. She has given recitals in famous places like Alice Tully Hall and Carnegie Hall.
Educator and Humanitarian
Angela M. Brown is a spokesperson for the United Negro College Fund. She uses her voice to help more people, especially young and diverse audiences, learn about and enjoy opera. Since 2002, she has often given free concerts called Opera...from A Sistah's Point of View. She performs these with fellow opera singer Kishna Davis to help everyday people connect with opera.
Discography
- 2014 This Christmas - a recording of Christmas songs.
- 2010 Opera...from a Sistah's Point of View - a live recording of opera songs and spirituals.
- 2004 Mosaic - a recording of African-American spirituals with pianist Joseph Joubert.
- 1997 Recording with the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra - including songs from Porgy and Bess.
- 1997 Guest Artist on The Joy of Music Television Series.
- 1997 Guest Artist on the Hour of Power International Television Program.
- 1995 Solo compact disc recording with Charles Webb.
