Faye Robinson facts for kids

Faye Robinson, born on November 2, 1943, is a talented African-American opera singer known for her beautiful soprano voice. A soprano is a type of classical female singing voice, the highest of all voice types. She has performed in many famous operas and concerts around the world.

Early Life and Training

Faye Robinson grew up in Houston, Texas. She first earned her bachelor's degree from Bennett College. After that, she continued her music studies at Texas Southern University. Her teacher there was Ruth Stewart. Faye then studied further at North Texas State University. She also took lessons in New York with Ellen Faull, a well-known voice teacher.

A Star on Stage: Opera Performances

Faye Robinson made her first big opera appearance in 1972. She sang the role of Micaëla in the opera Carmen at the New York City Opera. While working with this company, she also performed other important roles. These included Liù in Turandot and Violetta in La traviata. She also sang the Queen of Shemakha in Le Coq d'Or.

In 1973, she performed as Violetta and Juliette in Roméo et Juliette for Washington Civic Opera. For Opera/South, she was Desdemona in Otello in 1973. The next year, 1974, she sang Adina in L'elisir d'amore.

International Success

In 1975, Faye Robinson traveled to Aix-en-Provence in France. There, she received great praise for her performances in two short operas: The Impresario and La serva padrona. That same year, she returned to her hometown of Houston. She sang the main role in the opera Lucrezia Borgia.

In 1980, she performed in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She sang three different soprano roles in Les contes d'Hoffmann. The next year, 1981, she returned to singing music by Mozart. She performed as Konstanze in Frankfurt, Germany. She also sang Elettra for the Schwetzingen Festival.

In 1982, she debuted the main role in Luisa Miller at the Grand Théâtre de Bordeaux in France. Her first performance with the famous Paris Opera also happened in 1982. There, she once again sang the role of Juliette. Later, in 1991, she sang Elettra again, this time in Amsterdam.

Concert Performances and New Music

Besides opera, Faye Robinson is also a very active concert singer. She has performed with many famous orchestras. These include the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the New York Philharmonic, and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. She has also sung with the Cleveland Orchestra, the Philadelphia Orchestra, and the Houston Symphony Orchestra. Internationally, she has performed with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, and the BBC Symphony Orchestra.

Faye Robinson has also been very involved with new music throughout her career. In 1996, she performed the very first show of a piece called Lilacs. This piece was written by George Walker. It even won a Pulitzer Prize for Music, which is a very important award. She performed it with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. She has also focused on performing works by the composer Michael Tippett. Her recording of Lilacs is available from Summit Records.

Her Voice and Teaching

People who have heard Faye Robinson sing describe her voice as "flexible" and "silver-toned." This means her voice can move easily and sounds very clear and beautiful. Her presence on stage is often described as "charming." After her performing career, she shared her knowledge with others. She taught music at the University of Arizona.