Artist in Residence Master Class with Lawrence Brownlee, tenor

PROGRAM From Rigoletto “Ella mi fu rapita…Parmi veder le lagrime” Giuseppe Verdi (1813–1901) Perry Chacon Jr., tenor From Die Lustige Witwe “Es lebt’ eine Vilja” Franz Lehár (1870–1948) Claudia Affan, soprano From Street Scene “Lonely House” Kurt Weill (1900–1950) Christian Shelton, tenor From Madama Butterfly “Addio, fiorito asil” Giacomo Puccini (1858–1924) Travis Williams, tenor Bio Lawrence Brownlee is a leading figure in opera, both as a singer on the world's top stages, and as a voice for activism and diversity in the industry. Captivating audiences and critics around the globe, he has been hailed as “an international star in the bel canto operatic repertory” (The New York Times), “one of the world’s leading bel canto stars” (The Guardian), and “one of the most in-demand opera singers in the world today” (NPR). Amidst the challenges of COVID-19, Brownlee has emerged as a pivotal voice in classical music’s shift toward digital programming and the resurgence of conversations around racial justice. In May 2020, he launched “The Sitdown with LB,” a weekly Facebook Live series which explores the experience of being an African-American opera singer. The ongoing series has featured Brownlee in conversation with renowned artists like George Shirley, Denyce Graves, Martina Arroyo, J’Nai Bridges, Angel Blue, and others. Since April 2020 he has also hosted the video series “Coffee and a Song,” in which he invites artist friends to perform interpretations of art-songs from the intimacy of their own homes, and in August he gave a Masterclass conversation-performance as part of National Sawdust’s Digital Discovery Festival. Brownlee also performed at the Metropolitan Opera’s At-Home Gala in April 2020. ‍ Other highlights of Brownlee’s 20-21 season include a virtual concert with the Tallahassee Symphony, a broadcast of Lawrence Brownlee and Friends with Opera Philadelphia, a virtual recital with pianist Myra Huang for the Schubert Club International Artist Series, broadcasts and eventual live performances of his acclaimed solo recital program Cycles of My Being, a duo recital with Michael Spyres, and appearances with the Lincoln Center Song Series, Opéra Royal de Wallonie, Opernhaus Zurich, Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, New National Theatre Tokyo, and San Francisco Opera. His album Amici e Rivali with Michael Spyres and Maestro Corrado Rovaris, releasing November 13 on Warner Classics & Erato, will be the first ever to exclusively feature Rossini’s tenor duets. More at https://www.lawrencebrownlee.com/.