Morris Robinson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Morris Robinson
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| Born |
Morris DeRhon Robinson
March 18, 1969 |
| Occupation | Opera singer (bass) |
| Years active | 1997–present |
| Spouse(s) | Denise Wright |
| Children | 1 |
Morris DeRhon Robinson (born March 18, 1969) is an American bass opera singer. He was also a talented college football player. Morris Robinson has performed in many famous places. These include the Metropolitan Opera, Carnegie Hall, and La Scala in Italy. He was the first African-American artist to sign with a major classical music record company.
Early Life and Talents
Morris Robinson grew up in Atlanta, Georgia. His father was a Baptist minister. Morris loved music from a young age. He sang in the Atlanta Boy Choir. He also went to a special school for performing arts.
At school, he was great at both sports and music. He played on the football team. He was also in the all-city band and all-state chorus. He was the first student ever to be in both chorus and band.
Morris wanted to play college football. He got a scholarship to The Citadel. There, he was a top offensive lineman for three years. He graduated in 1991 with a degree in English.
He became known as "The Singing Knob" at college. He would often sing for his friends. He also sang "O Holy Night" at Christmas concerts. He even helped start a gospel chorus at school. His singing talent was featured in Sports Illustrated. He also sang the national anthem at an NBA All-Star Game in 1991.
After college, he worked in sales. On a trip, he met his future wife, Denise Wright.
Becoming an Opera Star
Morris Robinson sang sometimes at social events. In 1997, his wife helped him try out for the Choral Arts Society of Washington. He did very well!
Later, he moved to New Hampshire for a new job. He took music classes at the New England Conservatory of Music. He also performed in weekend shows. His singing caught the attention of a professor at Boston University. She told him to apply to their opera program. He joined in 1999.
That same year, he made his first opera appearance. He played the King of Egypt in Aida with the Boston Lyric Opera. He then performed in other famous operas. These included The Marriage of Figaro and Madama Butterfly.
In 2001, he had a big audition for Maestro James Levine. This led to him joining a special program. It was the Lindemann Young Artist Development Program. Only nine singers in the world were chosen for it. This program is sponsored by the Metropolitan Opera.
Morris Robinson made his debut at The Met in 2002. He performed in Fidelio. He later sang in many other Met productions. These included The Magic Flute and Nabucco. He also performed many times with the Los Angeles Opera.
Expanding His Performances
Morris Robinson has also performed in musicals. In 2012, he played Joe in Show Boat. He performed this role with several opera companies. These included the San Francisco Opera and Houston Grand Opera.
In 2016, he made his debut at La Scala in Milan, Italy. He sang the main role in Porgy and Bess. He performed this role again in 2019.
He regularly performs with major orchestras. These include the National Symphony Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic. He has also sung with orchestras in many cities. These include Chicago, Los Angeles, and São Paulo, Brazil.
Morris Robinson was named an artist-in-residence for the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. In 2017, he became an artistic advisor for the Cincinnati Opera. He has also performed at music festivals.
He made history as the first Black artist to sign with a major classical record label. His first album, Going Home, came out in 2007. He has appeared on the NBC Today Show. He has also been featured in many newspapers.
In 2017, he received an Honorary Doctorate from The Citadel. In 2019, he became a Resident Artist at Harvard University. He also appeared in the 2022 movie 'The Magic Flute'.
