Bruce Hubbard facts for kids

Bruce Hubbard (born 1952 – died November 12, 1991) was an American opera singer known for his deep baritone voice. He was nominated for important awards like the Drama Desk Award and the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor. Bruce Hubbard performed on Broadway, at the famous Metropolitan Opera, and on BBC television. He also gave many concerts and made several music recordings.

He is best known for playing the character Joe in the musical Show Boat. He also played Jake and Porgy in the opera Porgy and Bess. He performed these roles on Broadway, in London's West End, and in many major opera houses. Bruce Hubbard studied music at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music.

Early Life and Education

Bruce Hubbard was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, in 1952. He finished high school at Arlington High School in 1971. While he was a music student at Indiana University in 1973, he helped actors prepare for musicals.

Later, he went back to Indianapolis and recorded two songs for a vinyl record. He sang "Antiphon" from Five Mystical Songs and "Without a Song". He recorded these songs with the Arlington High School concert choir. This might have been his very first official music recording.

A Star on Stage and Screen

Bruce Hubbard had a busy career performing in many famous shows.

Early Broadway Roles

After performing in Porgy and Bess, Hubbard appeared on Broadway in a show called Timbuktu! from 1978 to 1980. He also went on two national tours with the show. Timbuktu! starred famous performers like Eartha Kitt and Melba Moore. Bruce Hubbard first learned the main role, then later took over the part of the Mansa of Mali.

He also performed in the first Broadway production of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. In this show, he played the role of Rev. Bushrod. He also appeared in the first Broadway version of Scott Joplin's opera Treemonisha.

His Famous Role in Show Boat

Hubbard began performing in Show Boat as early as 1976. However, his performance in the 1983 Houston Grand Opera production on Broadway was very special. This role earned him a nomination for the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical.

One of his most famous performances was not live on stage. In 1988, he was part of a special 3-CD recording of Show Boat by EMI. This recording was the first to include the entire musical score. It used the original music and arrangements from 1927. The album was very popular and is still available today. It was even chosen as one of EMI's Great Recordings of the Century.

On this album, Bruce Hubbard was the first singer in modern times to sing the song Ol' Man River with its original lyrics. These lyrics were controversial because they reflected the language of the time, which is now seen as sensitive. There was some debate about using the original words. But Hubbard decided to sing them as they were written in the original show.

Opera Performances

Bruce Hubbard also performed in the highly praised 1986 Glyndebourne Festival production of Porgy and Bess. He also appeared in the Metropolitan Opera's production of the same show. The recording of the Glyndebourne production was also named an EMI Great Recording of the Century.

In these productions, Hubbard sang the role of Jake, a fisherman. Although he passed away before the Glyndebourne production was shown on television in 1993, his voice can still be heard as Jake in the TV version. He was also seen in a 1987 televised Metropolitan Opera production of Bizet's opera Carmen, where he played the smuggler Le Dancaïre.

Solo Album and Film Role

After the success of the Show Boat recording, Bruce Hubbard released his first solo album called For You, For Me. It came out in 1990 and was his only solo album. It featured classic American songs, including some from Porgy and Bess and other musicals. Metropolitan Opera singer Marvis Martin joined him for a duet on the album.

He also appeared in one movie. In Francis Ford Coppola's 1984 film, The Cotton Club, he played one of Bumpy Rhodes's helpers.

In 1991, Bruce Hubbard was nominated for the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical. This was for his role as Joe in the London production of Show Boat.

Death

Bruce Hubbard passed away in 1991 from pneumonia at New York University Hospital. He was 39 years old.

Legacy

To remember Bruce Hubbard, his family, friends, and colleagues created the Bruce Hubbard Memorial Scholarship Fund in 1992. This scholarship is given every year to voice students at Indiana University's Jacobs School of Music. It especially helps minority students.

The university noted that Bruce Hubbard performed at the White House three times. One of these performances was on the TV show "In Performance at the White House". After one of his concerts, President Ronald Reagan wrote to him, saying, "Your performance was brilliant and the richness of your voice thrilled us all."

Discography

• Jerome Kern: Show Boat, conducted by John McGlinn, EMI, 1988
• For You, For Me, conducted by Dennis Russell Davies, EMI, 1990

See also

In Spanish: Bruce Hubbard para niños