Harolyn Blackwell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Harolyn Blackwell
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| Born | November 23, 1955 Washington, DC
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| Education | B.M., Music Education, 1977; M.M., Vocal Performance, 1980 |
| Alma mater | The Catholic University of America |
| Occupation | American singer and actresss |
| Known for | Both musical theater and opera performance, and later teaching voice as well |
| Spouse(s) | Peter Greer (married 1991-present) |
Harolyn Blackwell, born on November 23, 1955, is an American singer known for her beautiful, high voice. She has performed in many famous opera houses, concert halls, and theaters around the world. Harolyn sings in operas, special musical concerts called oratorios, solo shows, and even Broadway musicals.
She first became known for her work in musical theater in the early 1980s. Later, she moved into the world of opera. By 1987, she was famous for playing roles of young, lively characters in major opera houses in the United States and Europe. Harolyn wanted to try different kinds of roles. So, in the mid-1990s, she started singing more challenging parts that require a very high and flexible voice. With help from places like the Seattle Opera, she successfully made this change. She now sings roles like Lucia in Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor and Olympia in Offenbach's Les contes d'Hoffman. She also still performs in musical theater sometimes. Harolyn Blackwell is especially known for singing and recording the music of Leonard Bernstein.
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Early Life and Music Journey
Harolyn Blackwell was born in Washington, D.C. on November 23, 1955. She was the oldest of five children. Her parents were both teachers and were involved in the Civil Rights Movement. Her father, Harold Blackwell, worked for the government in housing. Her mother taught physical education at a university.
Harolyn first became interested in music because of her fourth-grade teacher, Nancy Notargiacomo. Nancy later became her voice and piano teacher when Harolyn was 10. Harolyn also says her high school choir director encouraged her to pursue music. She remembers thinking about studying history or fashion design. But her choir director convinced her that music was her true calling.
Harolyn attended The Catholic University of America. She studied vocal music education there. She also spent time in classes and activities related to drama and musical theater. She wanted to have strong classical training, no matter if she chose opera or musical theater. Catholic University was perfect because it had great drama and music departments.
After graduating in 1977, Harolyn taught music at two schools. At the same time, she continued her vocal studies at Catholic University. She performed in two opera roles during this time. She earned her Master's degree in Vocal Performance in 1980.
Starting Her Career
Harolyn Blackwell's first professional performances were with a group called the Young Columbians in 1976-1977. In 1979, she auditioned for the Broadway show West Side Story. Leonard Bernstein himself chose her for the role of Francisca. She was also the understudy for the main character, Maria. As Francisca, Harolyn sang the song Somewhere from the orchestra pit.
For two and a half years, she toured with the show. This experience taught her a lot about acting and performing eight shows a week. She learned how to truly become a character on stage. Critics noticed that Harolyn sounded very similar to opera singer Reri Grist. Coincidentally, Harolyn later met and became friends with Grist. Grist even coached Harolyn for her first performance in Europe in 1985.
In 1981, Harolyn was accepted into young artist programs at two major opera companies. She chose to go to the Lyric Opera of Chicago. After singing small parts for a year, she left the program to focus on her vocal technique. In 1983, she won the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. This big win helped her decide to focus on an opera career. She felt that opera "fit so naturally."
After her win, she continued her training at the Lyric Opera of Chicago for another year. In 1987, she made her debut at the famous Metropolitan Opera as Poussette in Manon. Since then, Harolyn's opera career has grown. She has performed many times with the Metropolitan Opera in shows like Un ballo in maschera, Le nozze di Figaro, and Die Fledermaus.
In 1989, Harolyn performed and recorded the role of Clara in a highly praised production of Gershwin's Porgy and Bess. This recording won a Grammy Award. Harolyn sang the famous song "Summertime" at the 1990 Grammy Awards. This performance made her even more well-known as an opera singer.
In 1991, Harolyn made her debut with the San Francisco Opera. That same year, she gave a wonderful performance as Oscar in Verdi's Un ballo in maschera with the Metropolitan Opera, singing alongside the famous Luciano Pavarotti. This performance was filmed and shown on PBS' Great Performances. Harolyn appeared on Great Performances again in 1993. She sang music from Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd in a concert called Sondheim — A Celebration at Carnegie Hall. This concert is available on DVD and CD.
Throughout the early 1990s, Harolyn performed with opera companies in the United States and Europe. In 1994, she took over the role of Marie in La fille du régiment at the Metropolitan Opera. This happened when another singer, Kathleen Battle, was no longer able to perform. Critics often compared the two singers because they had similar voices and sang many of the same roles. Harolyn has said that Kathleen Battle and other singers like Mattiwilda Dobbs and Reri Grist helped pave the way for singers like her.
Later Career and Teaching
In the mid-1990s, Harolyn Blackwell started singing more challenging opera roles. The Seattle Opera helped her a lot with this change. She first worked with them in 1990. The company was impressed with her voice and gave her chances to sing new roles. These included the main parts in Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor and Delibes' Lakmé. She also sang roles like Norina in Donizetti's Don Pasquale and Gilda in Verdi's Rigoletto. Good reviews from these performances led to her singing similar roles with many other companies around the world.
In 1997, Harolyn returned to Broadway to star as Cunegonde in Bernstein's Candide. While her singing was highly praised, the show itself did not do as well. Harolyn can be heard on the recording of the 1997 revival. She had also recorded other works by Bernstein on her solo album Blackwell Sings Bernstein in 1996.
Harolyn Blackwell has also performed in many famous concert series and given solo recitals. She has sung at places like London's Wigmore Hall, Carnegie Hall, and the Kennedy Center. In 2002-2003, she toured the United States giving concerts. She has also performed for important people. In 1999, she sang at the Vatican for Pope John Paul II's 80th birthday. In 2006, she performed at the White House for President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush.
Harolyn has performed with many other major opera companies and festivals. She has also sung with famous orchestras like the New York Philharmonic and the London Symphony Orchestra. She has performed many classical pieces, including Handel's Messiah and Mozart's Requiem.
Throughout her career, Harolyn Blackwell has sung under the direction of many of the world's best conductors.
Opera Roles
Here are some of the opera roles Harolyn Blackwell has performed:
- Adele, Die Fledermaus (Johann Strauss II)
- Barbarina, The Marriage of Figaro (Mozart)
- Blondchen, Die Entführung aus dem Serail (Mozart)
- Clara, Porgy and Bess (Gershwin)
- Constance, Dialogues of the Carmelites (Poulenc)
- Despina, Così fan tutte (Mozart)
- Gilda, Rigoletto (Verdi)
- Giulietta, I Capuleti e i Montecchi (Bellini)
- Lakmé, Lakmé (Delibes)
- Lucia, Lucia di Lammermoor (Donizetti)
- Marie, La fille du régiment (Donizetti)
- Marzelline, Fidelio (Beethoven)
- Nanetta, Falstaff (Verdi)
- Norina, Don Pasquale (Donizetti)
- Olympia, Les contes d'Hoffmann (Offenbach)
- Oscar, Un ballo in maschera (Verdi)
- Poussette, Manon (Massenet)
- Sophie, Der Rosenkavalier (Richard Strauss)
- Sophie, Werther (Massenet)
- Susanna, The Marriage of Figaro (Mozart)
- Valencienne, Die lustige Witwe (Franz Lehár)
- Xenia, Boris Godunov (Mussorgsky)
- Zdenka, Arabella (Richard Strauss)
- Zerlina, Don Giovanni (Mozart)
Harolyn Blackwell as an Educator
Harolyn Blackwell has always seen herself as a teacher, not just a singer. This is partly because she started her career as a music teacher. She remembers fighting for her students to be able to see an opera at the Kennedy Center. She worked with other teachers to help students learn about the music, art, history, and literature of the time.
This interest in education continued throughout her opera career. For many years, she participated in a program where she talked to people in communities. She educated them about opera and helped them become interested in it. Harolyn believes that when you connect with people and show them you are just a human being with a gift, it makes a big difference.
In 2002, Harolyn's teaching became more official. She became a faculty member at the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore. She taught special classes there for four years. She has also been a guest instructor at many universities and music schools. She currently teaches voice at the Manhattan School of Music, Barnard College, and New York University.
Personal Life
Harolyn Blackwell has been married to businessman Peter Greer since 1991. She is a Catholic and believes that her singing voice is a gift from God that she wants to use well.
Awards and Honors
Ms. Blackwell has received many awards and honors. One award allowed her to study in Italy with famous singers Renata Tebaldi and Carlo Bergonzi. Early in her career, she won the Baltimore Opera's Puccini Foundation Award. She also won the WGN-Illinois Opera Guild "Audition of the Air." She received two Career Grants from the Richard Tucker Music Foundation. Her alma mater, The Catholic University of America, gave her the Alumna of the Year Award. More recently, Siena College and George Washington University have given her honorary doctorates.
Watch and Listen
- To hear Harolyn Blackwell sing the role of Norina from Donizetti's Don Pasquale click here:
- To hear Harolyn Blackwell sing roles from Gershwin's Porgy and Bess, Verdi's Un ballo in maschera, and Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd click here:
- To see Harolyn Blackwell in an interview about replacing Kathleen Battle click here:
Discography
Solo Recordings
- "Strange Hurt" — 1994
- Blackwell Sings Bernstein, a Simple Song — 1996
- All Through The Night — 2006
Classical Recordings
- Brahms: Ein Deutsches Requiem — 2000
- Gershwin: Porgy and Bess — 1998
- Canadian Brass: Noël — 1994
- Gershwin: Porgy and Bess — 1989
Musical Recordings
- Candide — 1997
- Sondheim - A Celebration at Carnegie Hall — 1993
DVD Appearances
- Sondheim — A Celebration at Carnegie Hall — 1993
- Un ballo in maschera — 1991
Selected Television Appearances
- A Capitol Fourth — 2008 (PBS)
- Pops Goes The Fourth — 1994 (A&E)
- Porgy and Bess — 1993 (BBC, as Clara)
- Sondheim — A Celebration at Carnegie Hall — 1993 (PBS' Great Performances)
- Un ballo in maschera — 1991 (Oscar in the Metropolitan Opera production, PBS's Great Performances)
- 1990 Grammy Awards
See also
In Spanish: Harolyn Blackwell para niños
