D̩bria M. Brown (26 October 1936 Р17 December 2001) was an American operatic mezzo-soprano who had an active international career that spanned five decades. She was part of the first generation of black opera singers to achieve wide success and is viewed as part of an instrumental group of performers who helped break down the barriers of racial prejudice in the opera world. She also worked occasionally as a dramatic actress on the stage and on television.
Born in New Orleans, Brown was the daughter of the Reverend Bennett G. and Eunice Brown. She attended Xavier University of Louisiana (Bachelor of Music, 1958), where she sang Cherubino in the only production Norman Treigle directed, Le nozze di Figaro, in 1957. She later studied with Katherine Dunham in New York City through a scholarship provided by the John Hay Whitney Foundation.
In 1958, Brown made her professional opera debut with the New York City Opera in the title role of Georges Bizet's Carmen, opposite her mentor, Treigle, as Escamillo.[2] She returned to the City Opera in 1961, when she created the role of Tituba in the world premiere of Robert Ward's The Crucible, opposite Chester Ludgin. In 1958 she made her Carnegie Hall debut singing the role of Amenofi in the American Opera Society's concert presentation of Gioachino Rossini's Mosè in Egitto with conductor Arnold Gamson, and Boris Christoff in the name part.
Débria Brown
From 1962–1965, Brown was a member of the Stadttheater Aachen, during which time she appeared as a guest artist at numerous opera houses in Germany. She was then committed to the Staatsoper Stuttgart from 1967–1970. In 1969, she appeared as Bess in George Gershwin's Porgy and Bess at the Vienna Volksoper. In 1971 and 1974, she made appearances at the Bregenzer Festspiele. In 1972–1973, she was a member of the Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe,
In 1992, Brown became a Professor of Voice and Artist in Residence at the University of Houston.[6] She remained in that position until her death nine years later. At the time of her death she was still performing, and had further unfulfilled engagements with American opera companies scheduled in the next few seasons. Posthumously, her "live" 2001 recording of Dominick Argento's Casanova's Homecoming was released by Newport Classic.
Published on May 7, 2013
Débria M. Brown (26 October 1936 -- 17 December 2001) was an American operatic mezzo-soprano who had an active international career that spanned five decades. She was part of the first generation of black opera singers to achieve wide success and is viewed as part of an instrumental group of performers who helped break down the barriers of racial prejudice in the opera world. She also worked occasionally as a dramatic actress on the stage and on television. She played Magenta in The Rocky Horror Show at the Schauspielhaus in Vienna, Austria. Her cover of "Touch Me" was released in 1984.
Debria Brown - Touch Me
Bruno Maderna: Satyricon, Opera in un atto is a somewhat weird opera, but I posted it anyway. It is one of the few operas I could find which Debria performed in.
Bruno Maderna: Satyricon, Opera in un atto (1973) 1/5
Bruno Maderna: Satyricon, Opera in un atto (1973) 2/5
Bruno Maderna: Satyricon, Opera in un atto (1973) 2/5
Bruno Maderna: Satyricon, Opera in un atto (1973) 3/5
Bruno Maderna: Satyricon, Opera in un atto (1973) 4/5
Bruno Maderna: Satyricon, Opera in un atto (1973) 5/5
B runo Maderna: Satyricon, Opera in un atto (1973) 5/5
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