St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1956-10-05
Roberf McF-nin
Baritone 10 open
Artists season


the University Of Minnesota
Monday, October 8 at $50 p. m
Appearing in Northrop las
season with the metropolitan
Opera as Amonasro in Aida, Nc
Ferrin was the object Of praise b.
the audience and critics alike.
McFerrin's dramatic step from
the ranks Of little-known singers
to a place on the roster Of the
Metropolitan opera Company is
Of the cloth from which legends
are woven. Winner Of many schol-
arshlps and many contests, and
praised by critics for magnificent
performances with the New Eng
land and National Negro Opera
Companies, McFerrin received no
commercial encouragement and
little public recognition.
First At Met
Then in the Spring Of 1858, he
entered the Metropolitan Audi
tons Of the Air. Singing an amaz-
ing sequence Of the most taxing
baritone arias in the repertoire,
he was proclaimed a winner by
unanimous vote of the judges, was
given a scholarship at the Kath-
ryn Long Opera Courses, six
weeks of training usually reserved
for Metropolitan singers under
contract, and thus made American
musical history by becoming the
first Negro singer to be trained at
the Metropolitan.
Born in Mariana, Ark, one OF
eight children Of a Baptist min
lister, McFerrin moved to st,
Louis with his family in 1896 when
his father became pastor Of the
Kings Highway Baptist church,
The voice Of the young McFerrin
was first discovered by his high
school music teacher. At the COM
pletion of high school the young
baritone took up serious study in
Chicago, where he won the Chica'
go Musicland competition.
After military service in Manila
and Japan from 1912 to 1916, Nc
Ferrin returned to Chicago and a
year later went to New York
where he was brought to the at
tention Of Boris Goldovsky. He
was promptly offered a scholar
ship in the Opera Department OF
Tanglewood. McFerrin sang leads
in Gmcks "Iphegenia in Tauris'
and in "Rigoletto" and Goldovsky
had him repeat both roles profes
sionally with the New England
Opera Company
Next McFerrin appeared OF
Broadway in the revival of ''Tht
Green Pastures" and was II
Kurt Wells Lost in the Stars.
Following the road tour Of Los
in the Stars" McFerrin spent 4
year in concert work and appear
ed in various operate roles il
Washington with the Nationa
Opera Company.
Following the Metropolitan OPP
era Additions in 1858, McFerriI
thought his actual debut woult
be at least four years off. HI
worked hard at the Metropolitan
Kathryn Long School, put in
season of nationwide concerts ant
orchestral appearances, and thel
came the magnificent surprise
He was asked to sign a contrac
as a regular member Of the Metro
politan Opera Company,
Despite his success with tn
Met, MoFerrin is still hard a
work perfecting his art as a sing
err. Last season the young bari
ton faced the critical test as
concert artist by presenting a re
cital at New Yorks famous Tow
Hall. Critics Of the five New Yor
daily papers wrote glowing trit
utes to the art Of the young bar
| tone
A limited number Of season tiC
kcts for the Artists Course an
available at the Artists Cours
| Ticket office. lO5 Northrop Aud
[ forum at the University.
! Single tickets for the concert b
Robert McFerrin are available q
the Artists Course Ticket offic
the Downtown Ticket office
Minneapolis and al FIeld-Schhcl
in st, Paul Ticket prices are $,
$3.50. 50, $3.50 and So.