Harolyn Blackwell

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Kennedy Center

Harolyn Blackwell (born November 23, 1955) is an American

Les contes d'Hoffman. She has also periodically returned to musical theater performances throughout her career in staged productions, concert work, and recitals. Blackwell is known for her interpretations and recordings of the works of Leonard Bernstein
.

Early life and education

Harolyn Blackwell was born in

Civil Rights Movement. Her father, Harold Blackwell (for whom she was named), was also a redevelopment specialist with the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development in Washington, D.C. for many years, and her mother taught physical education and health at the University of the District of Columbia.[2]

Blackwell first became interested in music through the influence of her fourth grade teacher, Nancy Notargiacomo, who eventually became her voice and piano teacher when she was 10. She also credits her high school

Brigadoon, Oliver!, and so forth. I thought maybe this would be what I would pursue after high school, although even in my senior year in high school I had doubts. I wanted to go into history or fashion design. But, I had a wonderful choral director who said 'no, your calling is music,' and she convinced me."[3]

Blackwell attended

musical theater programs.[4] Blackwell said, "I wasn't quite sure whether I wanted to pursue classical or musical theater. I knew that whichever I chose, I wanted to have a classical training. It was important to me to have the technical expertise as well as also the theory and understanding of classical music. Catholic University was the best of both possible worlds, because they had a very strong drama department as well as a very good music department. They were next door, so I spent quite a bit of time going back and forth between the drama department and the music department."[3] After graduating with her undergraduate degree in 1977, Blackwell taught music in two parochial schools while simultaneously continuing her vocal studies on the graduate level at Catholic University where she appeared two opera roles: Mrs Gobineau in The Medium and Giannetta in L'elisir d'amore. She graduated with a Masters in Vocal Performance in 1980.[2][5]

Early career

Blackwell's first professional engagements were with

Verdi's Un ballo in maschera with the Hamburg State Opera.[3] She repeated that role the following year at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.[10]

In 1981, Blackwell auditioned for and was accepted into both the

Le nozze di Figaro, Die Fledermaus, and Werther among others.[13]

In 1989 Blackwell performed and recorded the role of Clara in a critically acclaimed production of

Sweeney Todd. The concert has subsequently been released on DVD and CD.[1]

Throughout the early 1990s, Blackwell remained active in performances with opera companies throughout the United States and Europe. In 1991 she portrayed Susanna in The Marriage of Figaro with the Canadian Opera Company.[16] In 1994 Blackwell replaced Kathleen Battle as Marie in La fille du régiment at the Metropolitan Opera for the entire run when Battle was fired from the production for unprofessional conduct.[11] This has inevitably caused critics to compare the two singers, and indeed both women have played many of the same roles and share a similar vocal quality. In a 2003 interview Blackwell said, "Kathleen has been very supportive and very good to me over my career. Mattiwilda Dobbs, Reri Grist and Kathy were basically the predecessors for me and I really am grateful to those women, especially with my particular fach. I mean, singing Aïda or Leonora is one thing, but the lyric repertory roles are not star vehicles. It just doesn't happen and I think these women have really helped in that respect."[3]

Later career

Soprano Harolyn Blackwell performs in the East Room of the White House during a dinner in honor of the Dance Theatre of Harlem on February 6, 2006. President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush are in attendance.

In the mid-1990s, Blackwell moved away from the soubrette repertoire and began to sing almost exclusively lyric coloratura roles. Instrumental in boosting her profile within this repertoire was

Netherlands Opera.[13][17][18][19][20]

In 1997 Blackwell returned to Broadway to star as Cunegonde in Bernstein's

Vanessa L. Williams
as Anita in selections from West Side Story.

Blackwell has also performed in many acclaimed concert series and given many lauded recitals over the years. She has performed at London's

Kennedy Center, and the Ambassador Foundation Performing Arts Series in Los Angeles. In 2002-2003 she toured the United States giving concerts with Florence Quivar. She has also performed for several notable figures. In 1999 Blackwell was invited to perform at the Vatican for Pope John Paul II's 80th birthday.[13] In 2006, she performed a concert in honor of the Dance Theatre of Harlem at the White House with President George W. Bush and Laura Bush in attendance.[22]

Other major national and international opera companies and festivals that Blackwell has performed with include: the

Mostly Mozart Festival among others.[23]

Also an accomplished singer of the concert repertoire, she has performed with the

Mozart's Requiem, and Orff's Carmina Burana
among many others.

Throughout her career Miss Blackwell has had the privilege of singing under some of the world's finest conductors including Herbert Blomstedt, James Conlon, Christoph von Dohnányi, Plácido Domingo, Charles Dutoit, Erich Kunzel, James Levine, Andrew Litton, Zdeněk Mácal, Kurt Masur, Trevor Pinnock, André Previn, Simon Rattle, Gerard Schwarz, Leonard Slatkin, and David Zinman.[13]

Opera roles

To date these are some of the roles Blackwell has performed on the stages of major opera houses:[12][13][15][19][25]

Educator

Blackwell has always seen herself as an educator as well as an opera singer, partly because of her roots as a music teacher. She recalls about her years spent teaching in the late 1970s, "I taught at two parochial schools, one in Washington, D.C., and the other in

Kennedy Center to see an opera. I got the English teacher, the history teacher and the art teacher to come together and work on this project where we all talked about the music, the art, the history and the literature from the period."[3]

This interest in education continued into her opera career. For many years, Blackwell participated in a program called the "Affiliate Artists" where she went into the community and talked to people one-on-one to educate them about and inspire interest in opera. Blackwell says, "We don't have audience participation anymore, partly because of being raised on television. We have become an audience that receives entertainment in a passive way. I think in order to participate you have to have knowledge and knowledge means you have to take the time to sit down and educate. When you are able to communicate with people and show them you're just another human being with a gift, it makes all the difference. My gift happens to be singing. When you go to an opera you see so many people, but you don't have an opportunity to have that one-on-one contact and that's what was so great about that program."[3]

In 2002, Blackwell's work as an educator took on a more official form when she became an adjunct faculty member at the

Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore. She taught master classes at the school for four years. Blackwell has also been invited as a guest instructor at several universities and conservatories throughout the United States.[18][26] She currently teaches on the voice faculties of Manhattan School of Music, Barnard College and New York University.[27]

Personal life

Blackwell has been married to businessman Peter Greer since 1991. A

Catholic, she has stated about her voice that "God had given me this gift. I want to use it well."[20]

Vocal appreciation and criticism

At the beginning of her career, Blackwell played mostly

lyric coloratura soprano repertoire. Blackwell has commented that she felt opera houses were initially uncertain as to how to cast her because of her musical theater background.[9] She said, "They saw me in the lighter repertoire and my voice teacher and I saw me in the lyric repertoire." In addition, her small frame and 5'1" stature in combination with girlish looks made her a perfect physical casting choice for soubrette roles. It wasn't until Blackwell studied in Busseto with Carlo Bergonzi, Renata Tebaldi, and Sylvia Barrachi in the late 1980s that she finally was given direction into the lyric coloratura repertoire. Blackwell recalls, "At the end of the program Mrs. Barrachi and Renata Tebaldi sat down with me and told me what roles I should sing if I wanted to have a major career. Having those two women take the time to talk to me made a big difference. I have always been the type of individual that takes all the information and then makes the decision that's appropriate for me. I can be very stubborn. I really do have to credit those two women for saving me."[3]

However, it took some time before Blackwell felt her voice was ready to tackle these coloratura roles. She has remarked that her own voice has gone through periods of change. "Your voice changes so much; it changes at 17 or 18, and again in your mid-20s and in your 30s. A voice is constantly changing and evolving."

Seattle Post Intelligencer said of Blackwell, "Her lyric soprano has grown in size. Always flexible, the voice is now richer and fuller." This change in her voice tracks with her move into more mature repertoire in the mid to late 1990s.[17]

Blackwell has received consistent positive praise throughout her career. About her New York City recital debut at

Seattle Times article said in their review of her portrayal of Olympia in Les contes d'Hoffman, "Another scene-stealer was Harolyn Blackwell, who brought down the house with her perfect coloratura fireworks."[18]

Awards

Ms. Blackwell is a recipient of numerous awards and honors, one of which provided her the opportunity to study in Italy with

Catholic University. More recently, Siena College bestowed upon her an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters and she was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Music from George Washington University.[4]

Watch and listen

  • To hear Harolyn Blackwell sing the role of Norina from
    YouTube
  • To hear Harolyn Blackwell sing the roles of Clara from
    YouTube
  • To see Harolyn Blackwell in an interview with
    YouTube

Discography

Solo recordings

Classical recordings

Musical recordings

  • Candide — 1997 - RCA Victor 09026-68835-2
  • Sondheim - A Celebration at Carnegie Hall — 1993

DVD appearances

  • Sondheim — A Celebration at Carnegie Hall — 1993
  • Un ballo in maschera — 1991 (Metropolitan Opera)

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

References

  1. ^ a b Harolyn Blackwell Internet Movie Database
  2. ^ a b Blau, Eleanor (November 14, 1990). "An Impish Coloratura Who Takes Risks". The New York Times.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g US Opera Web 2003 Interview Archived 2008-05-28 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ a b "Harolyn Blackwell at the Rockefeller Center". Archived from the original on 2004-08-20. Retrieved 2007-06-18.
  5. ^ Catholic University Public Affairs
  6. ^ Ernest F. Imhoff (February 7, 1991). "Newly celebrated soprano has patience in her repertoire BSO 75th Season". The Baltimore Sun.
  7. ^ Harolyn Blackwell Internet Broadway Database
  8. ^ a b Harolyn Blackwell Official Website
  9. ^ a b Schwarz, K. Robert (October 13, 1996). "A Singer and a Niche". The New York Times.
  10. Operissimo concertissimo
    (in German). Retrieved 12 July 2016.
  11. ^ a b Melba Newsome, 'Harolyn Blackwell: coming full circle — Black singer moved from Broadway musicals to opera', American Visions, Dec–Jan, 1996
  12. ^ a b Metropolitan Opera Database
  13. ^ a b c d e f LA Phil Presents | About the Performer — Harolyn Blackwell Archived 2007-11-10 at the Wayback Machine
  14. ^ Program Notes, National Academies Concert February 13, 2005 Archived December 1, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
  15. ^ a b San Francisco Opera Archives
  16. ^ Herman Trotter (June 24, 1991). "OUTSTANDING LEADS ENRICH SUPERB 'FIGARO' OPALACH, BLACKWELL SOAR IN ROLES". The Buffalo News.
  17. ^ a b Campbell, R.M. (January 12, 2003). "Infectious, engaging 'Don Pasquale'". Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
  18. ^ a b c Bargreen, Melinda (May 1, 2005). "Soprano Harolyn Blackwell sings the praises of her mentors". The Seattle Times.
  19. ^ a b c Bargreen, Melinda (October 19, 2000). "Soprano Harolyn Blackwell believes in making her own opportunities". The Seattle Times.
  20. ^ a b Bargreen, Melinda (October 23, 2000). "Tiny Lucia's big voice heads up stellar cast". The Seattle Times.
  21. ^ Stephen Sondheim Official Website
  22. ^ White House Press Release
  23. ^ National Endowment for the Arts Press Release Archived 2008-09-17 at the Wayback Machine
  24. ^ Columbia Artists Management
  25. ^ Chicago Lyric Opera Archives Archived 2008-07-23 at the Wayback Machine
  26. ^ Peabody Conservatory Archived 2006-09-01 at the Wayback Machine
  27. ^ Alice Boone (April 1, 2010). "Cunegonde and Coloratura: Harolyn Blackwell on Musical Technique". New York Public Library.
  28. ^ Crutchfield, Will (April 5, 1987). "Music: Debuts In Review; A Soprano And Two Vilinists In First Recital Appearances". The New York Times.
  29. ^ Kozinn, Allan (February 12, 1994). "Harolyn Blackwell Marches Off Calmly To Join 'Le Regiment'". The New York Times.
  30. ^ OPERA NEWS, February 2001
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