Derek Lee Ragin facts for kids
Derek Lee Ragin is an American singer known for his unique voice. He was born on June 17, 1958. He is a countertenor, which means he sings in a very high vocal range, similar to a female alto or soprano.
Contents
Early Life
Derek Ragin was born in West Point, New York. He grew up in Newark, New Jersey. He started his singing lessons with the Newark Boys Chorus. Later, he studied piano and music education at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music.
While at Oberlin, he also took voice lessons. He began his opera career there. His first role was Oberon in Benjamin Britten's opera A Midsummer Night's Dream. After college, Ragin went to Europe. He wanted to focus on singing Baroque opera.
Career Highlights
Derek Ragin became famous by winning several important music awards. In 1983, he won the Purcell-Britten Prize in England. He also won the Prix Spécial du Jury in Monte Carlo in 1988. In 1986, he won First Prize at the ARD International Music Competition in Munich.
Major Performances
Ragin performed his first solo concert in London in 1984. He also sang in the musical Carmen Jones in 1986. In 1988, he made his debut at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. He sang in George Frideric Handel's opera Giulio Cesare.
He gave a concert at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1991. In 1990, he performed at the Salzburg Festival. He sang in Christoph Willibald Gluck's opera Orfeo ed Euridice.
Award-Winning Recordings
In 1991, Derek Ragin released an album of spiritual songs. It was called Ev'ry Time I Feel the Spirit. He recorded it with Moses Hogan and his New World Ensemble.
His recording of Leonard Bernstein's Chichester Psalms won a Grammy Award. This recording also included the first-ever performance of Bernstein's Missa Brevis. He performed it with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. His recording of Giulio Cesare also won a Gramophone Award in 1992.
Film and Other Works
In 1994, Derek Ragin's voice was used for the film Farinelli. His voice was mixed with a soprano's voice. This helped to recreate the sound of a famous 18th-century singer.
He has also recorded many albums for different music labels. These include Italian lute songs and Handel's cantatas. After his performance of Orfeo ed Euridice in Salzburg, he recorded the role for an album. The film Farinelli won a Golden Globe Award in 1995. The movie's soundtrack also won an award in Cannes in 1996.
