1224:
1212:
992:
156:, heard him sing and suggested that he go to study in London. Instead, his father bought him a one-way ticket to New York City, because "the flight was cheaper". He won a scholarship and continued his studies with bass
1005:
1274:
1044:
913:
1081:
1299:
1319:
1284:
1329:
1324:
1314:
1269:
974:
1264:
1304:
1294:
1031:
957:
1179:
941:
925:
129:. His father was a dockworker, his mother a housewife. White first began to learn music by listening to the radio and singing
1289:
900:
1063:
1309:
1254:
723:(2002), a collection of spirituals and ballads made famous by Paul Robeson, arranged specially for Willard White.
118:
1259:
786:
317:
844:
772:
546:
204:
1135:
589:
239:
176:
In May 1971, White made his debut as the runaway slave Jim in the
Juilliard American Opera production of
94:
37:
1202:
307:
297:
1279:
417:
142:
815:
243:
90:
33:
793:. Another complete recording of the opera, and the basis for the 1993 television production. EMI.
605:
601:
258:
1160:
1249:
760:
756:
530:
355:
262:
195:
122:
1006:"D-Day: un émouvant "chant des partisans" entonné à Portsmouth lors de la cérémonie d'hommage"
462:
257:
In addition to covering a wide range of the bass-baritone roles in the standard repertoire by
667:
597:
408:
371:
342:
287:
883:
392:
at the First Night of the Proms. His voice was heard as one of the operatic soloists in the
1244:
840:
807:
451:
8:
819:
768:
698:
655:
651:
608:, for eminent international distinction in the performing arts. This entitles him to the
491:
361:
231:
185:
1153:
979:
848:
676:
561:
541:
537:
337:
219:
199:
1195:
782:
690:
499:
487:
366:
266:
251:
235:
223:
149:
114:
61:
227:
1216:
827:
811:
798:
764:
536:
On 22 May 2021 at the age of 74, he sang the role of Seneca in the premiere of the
332:
327:
312:
302:
282:
247:
161:
1109:
322:
281:, White has also explored less traditional territory by appearing as Bluebeard in
1165:
929:
856:
694:
593:
526:
522:
511:
467:
385:
350:
274:
153:
803:
714:
686:
672:
647:
613:
585:
472:
403:
398:
292:
278:
270:
214:
209:
25:
634:
1238:
1077:
1045:"BBC ditches Kipling poem from VJ Day celebrations over cultural sensitivity"
744:
710:
643:
435:
393:
377:
157:
130:
126:
102:
1228:
1114:
1086:
832:
790:
725:
702:
659:
581:
577:
507:
503:
427:
177:
165:
138:
134:
190:
1082:"Rigoletto review – powerful update, led by stellar duo, is a revelation"
551:
518:
495:
447:
860:, 2012 production at La Monnaie, released 2014 on EuroArts DVD, Blu-ray.
502:
during World War II, in front of veterans and heads of state including
1191:
836:
740:
730:
609:
483:
476:
168:
to participate in the master classes she gave there from 1971 to 1972.
517:
In August 2020, White caused some controversy when he refused to sing
1185:
1049:
556:
439:
133:
songs. He was also inspired by the
American bass baritone singer and
1032:"BBC bans Rudyard Kipling’s Mandalay from its VJ Day commemorations"
620:
458:
442:. He sang Porgy in the Glyndebourne production (1993) of the opera
639:
422:
98:
1161:"Willard White the new voice of Royal Northern College of Music"
916:, Contemporary Black Biography, Encyclopedia.com, 27 March 2018.
486:, during the ceremony commemorating the 75th anniversary of the
748:
752:
479:
in
Brussels and in 2004 at the Metropolitan Opera, New York.
450:
and both were videotaped for television. White appeared with
1223:
238:, and the major European cities as well as the Festivals at
975:"Nymph Out of Water, Disturbing the Peace of City Dwellers"
431:
533:
commemorations, because it "made him feel uncomfortable".
675:
with
Veselina Kasarova, Paul Groves, Salzburg Festival,
588:
of The
Institute of Jamaica. In 1995 he was awarded the
962:
Brussels 2004 White
Leggate Kotcherga Zaremba Lindskog"
402:. Among his most memorable roles are Mephistopheles in
1200:
580:, in which White sang the role of Porgy, received a
550:. In 2022 White sang the role of Count Monterone in
121:
in
Kingston, the same school that produced the poet
212:that year in the first truly complete recording of
747:: "Old American Songs", opera arias by Mozart and
1180:An interview with Willard White, recorded in 1992
416:. He has starred in non-singing roles, such as a
1236:
771:, tenor, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir and
743:: "Three Spirituals", "On The Beach (Whitman)",
705:. This is the first truly complete recording of
1107:
194:. In 1976, he made his London opera debut with
145:, and trained at the Jamaican School of Music.
1275:Commanders of the Order of the British Empire
16:Jamaican-born British operatic bass baritone
884:"Willard White Sings Paul Robeson Superbly"
604:(OM), then the third highest honour in the
567:
1300:Recipients of the Order of Merit (Jamaica)
164:. While at Juilliard, he was selected by
113:White was born into a Jamaican family in
1320:Jamaican emigrants to the United Kingdom
1285:EMI Classics and Virgin Classics artists
1330:21st-century Black British male singers
1325:21st-century British male opera singers
1315:20th-century Black British male singers
1270:20th-century British male opera singers
775:, cond. Carl Davis, conductor. RLCD 204
626:
572:In 1977, the first stereo recording of
152:, the oboist and wife of conductor Sir
1237:
1076:
1034:, Unity News Network, 14 August 2020
446:. Both productions were directed by
942:"The devil and the deep dark voice"
926:"Verbier Festival 2012 in pictures"
759:", and Broadway numbers including "
490:, White interpreted in French the "
13:
1265:20th-century Jamaican male singers
1147:
737:Willard White – A Gala Celebration
584:. White himself received the Gold
14:
1341:
1182:, British Library sound recording
1173:
1154:"Knighthood for opera star White"
600:. In 2000, White was awarded the
529:", as a planned part of the UK's
494:", the most popular song of the
141:. White was a founding member of
1305:Musicians from Kingston, Jamaica
1295:Recipients of the Musgrave Medal
1222:
1210:
1108:Will Hodgkinson (15 July 2005).
1129:
1101:
1070:
1056:
1037:
1024:
662:, Festival Aix-en-Provence, DVD
998:
986:
967:
951:
934:
919:
906:
893:
876:
471:several times, including in a
1:
993:White, Willard [Bass]
903:(interview), 17 January 2004.
864:
787:London Philharmonic Orchestra
125:("Miss Lou") and the actress
108:
845:Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
839:and Thomas Randle, with the
773:Royal Liverpool Philharmonic
97:(born 10 October 1946) is a
7:
1290:Singers awarded knighthoods
621:Lewisham, South East London
218:. He has since sung at the
87:Sir Willard Wentworth White
10:
1346:
995:, Met performance database
785:, Glyndebourne Chorus and
308:The Love for Three Oranges
547:L'incoronazione di Poppea
418:Royal Shakespeare Company
205:L'incoronazione di Poppea
171:
143:The Jamaican Folk Singers
76:
68:
44:
23:
1156:, BBC News, 12 June 2004
816:English Baroque Soloists
701:and Chorus conducted by
568:Awards and personal life
457:He has sung the role of
396:-winning motion picture
359:, Creon in Stravinsky's
184:. He next appeared with
1310:Juilliard School alumni
1255:Operatic bass-baritones
721:The Paul Robeson Legacy
606:Jamaican honours system
602:Jamaican Order of Merit
318:Saint François d'Assise
148:In a visit to Jamaica,
101:-born British operatic
761:Some Enchanted Evening
475:production in 2012 at
454:in Harrogate in 2004.
409:The Damnation of Faust
230:, the opera houses of
208:, having starred with
196:English National Opera
188:in 1974 as Colline in
123:Louise Bennett-Coverly
781:with Cynthia Haymon,
668:La damnation de Faust
598:2004 Birthday Honours
298:Pelléas and Mélisande
119:Excelsior High School
1260:Grammy Award winners
841:Royal Choral Society
808:Anne Sofie von Otter
627:Selected discography
452:Cantamus Girls Choir
365:, the title role in
311:, the title role in
1188:, intermusica.co.uk
1080:(23 January 2022).
1064:"Wiener Staatsoper"
948:, 28 February 2002.
890:, 31 December 2012.
820:John Eliot Gardiner
769:Bonaventura Bottone
757:Pearl Fishers' Duet
699:Cleveland Orchestra
656:Berlin Philharmonic
652:Eva-Maria Westbroek
650:, Lilli Paasikivi,
492:Chant des Partisans
390:A Child of our Time
356:The Rake's Progress
186:New York City Opera
1110:"Redemption songs"
980:The New York Times
849:Owain Arwel Hughes
697:, and others, the
677:Sylvain Cambreling
592:and he was made a
542:Claudio Monteverdi
538:Vienna State Opera
504:Queen Elizabeth II
482:On 5 June 2019 at
288:Bluebeard's Castle
220:Metropolitan Opera
1169:, 5 November 2008
912:Chris Routledge,
882:Michael Reckord,
818:conducted by Sir
783:Harolyn Blackwell
691:Barbara Hendricks
562:Femi Elufowoju jr
500:French Resistance
488:Normandy landings
349:, Nick Shadow in
224:Royal Opera House
84:
83:
62:Kingston, Jamaica
30:Sir Willard White
1337:
1280:Knights Bachelor
1227:
1226:
1215:
1214:
1213:
1206:
1141:
1133:
1127:
1126:
1124:
1122:
1105:
1099:
1098:
1096:
1094:
1074:
1068:
1067:
1060:
1054:
1053:, 15 August 2020
1041:
1035:
1028:
1022:
1021:
1019:
1017:
1002:
996:
990:
984:
971:
965:
964:, Opera on Video
955:
949:
938:
932:
923:
917:
914:"White, Willard"
910:
904:
897:
891:
880:
812:Monteverdi Choir
384:In 2005 he sang
328:Le Grand Macabre
182:Huckleberry Finn
162:Juilliard School
58:
54:
52:
21:
20:
1345:
1344:
1340:
1339:
1338:
1336:
1335:
1334:
1235:
1234:
1233:
1221:
1211:
1209:
1201:
1176:
1166:Jamaica Gleaner
1159:Deon P. Green,
1150:
1148:Further reading
1145:
1144:
1134:
1130:
1120:
1118:
1106:
1102:
1092:
1090:
1075:
1071:
1062:
1061:
1057:
1042:
1038:
1029:
1025:
1015:
1013:
1004:
1003:
999:
991:
987:
983:, 9 March 2012.
973:Zachary Wolfe,
972:
968:
956:
952:
940:Michael White,
939:
935:
924:
920:
911:
907:
899:Michael White,
898:
894:
881:
877:
867:
847:, conducted by
789:, conducted by
729:AKD 190, (with
695:Florence Quivar
629:
619:White lives in
594:Knight Bachelor
576:, conducted by
570:
523:Rudyard Kipling
512:Emmanuel Macron
386:Michael Tippett
321:, Nekrotzar in
244:Aix-en-Provence
174:
154:John Barbirolli
150:Evelyn Rothwell
111:
64:
59:
56:
55:10 October 1946
50:
48:
40:
31:
28:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1343:
1333:
1332:
1327:
1322:
1317:
1312:
1307:
1302:
1297:
1292:
1287:
1282:
1277:
1272:
1267:
1262:
1257:
1252:
1247:
1232:
1231:
1219:
1199:
1198:
1189:
1183:
1175:
1174:External links
1172:
1171:
1170:
1157:
1149:
1146:
1143:
1142:
1128:
1100:
1078:Kettle, Martin
1069:
1055:
1036:
1023:
997:
985:
966:
950:
933:
918:
905:
892:
874:
873:
866:
863:
862:
861:
852:
823:
804:Barbara Bonney
794:
779:Porgy and Bess
776:
734:
718:
715:London Records
707:Porgy and Bess
687:Leona Mitchell
683:Porgy and Bess
680:
673:Mephistopheles
663:
648:Robert Gambill
628:
625:
614:The Honourable
586:Musgrave Medal
574:Porgy and Bess
569:
566:
560:, directed by
554:production of
540:production of
473:Stefan Herheim
463:AntonĂn Dvořák
444:Porgy and Bess
420:production of
414:Porgy and Bess
331:, Claggart in
228:Opéra Bastille
215:Porgy and Bess
210:Leona Mitchell
173:
170:
110:
107:
82:
81:
78:
74:
73:
70:
66:
65:
60:
46:
42:
41:
32:
29:
26:The Honourable
24:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1342:
1331:
1328:
1326:
1323:
1321:
1318:
1316:
1313:
1311:
1308:
1306:
1303:
1301:
1298:
1296:
1293:
1291:
1288:
1286:
1283:
1281:
1278:
1276:
1273:
1271:
1268:
1266:
1263:
1261:
1258:
1256:
1253:
1251:
1250:Living people
1248:
1246:
1243:
1242:
1240:
1230:
1225:
1220:
1218:
1208:
1207:
1204:
1197:
1193:
1192:Willard White
1190:
1187:
1184:
1181:
1178:
1177:
1168:
1167:
1162:
1158:
1155:
1152:
1151:
1139:
1138:
1132:
1117:
1116:
1111:
1104:
1089:
1088:
1083:
1079:
1073:
1065:
1059:
1052:
1051:
1046:
1043:David Brown,
1040:
1033:
1030:Oliver Down,
1027:
1012:. 5 June 2019
1011:
1007:
1001:
994:
989:
982:
981:
976:
970:
963:
961:
960:Khovanshchina
954:
947:
946:The Telegraph
943:
937:
931:
927:
922:
915:
909:
902:
896:
889:
885:
879:
875:
872:
871:
859:
858:
853:
850:
846:
842:
838:
834:
830:
829:
824:
821:
817:
813:
809:
805:
801:
800:
795:
792:
788:
784:
780:
777:
774:
770:
766:
765:Ol' Man River
762:
758:
754:
750:
746:
742:
738:
735:
732:
728:
727:
722:
719:
716:
712:
708:
704:
700:
696:
692:
688:
684:
681:
678:
674:
670:
669:
664:
661:
657:
653:
649:
645:
644:Eva Johansson
641:
637:
636:
631:
630:
624:
622:
617:
615:
611:
607:
603:
599:
595:
591:
587:
583:
579:
575:
565:
563:
559:
558:
553:
552:Opera North's
549:
548:
543:
539:
534:
532:
528:
524:
521:' setting of
520:
515:
513:
509:
505:
501:
497:
493:
489:
485:
480:
478:
474:
470:
469:
464:
460:
455:
453:
449:
445:
441:
437:
436:Imogen Stubbs
433:
429:
426:(1989), with
425:
424:
419:
415:
412:and Porgy in
411:
410:
405:
401:
400:
395:
394:Academy Award
391:
387:
382:
380:
379:
378:Khovanshchina
374:
373:
372:Boris Godunov
368:
364:
363:
358:
357:
352:
348:
344:
340:
339:
334:
330:
329:
324:
320:
319:
314:
310:
309:
304:
301:, Tchélio in
300:
299:
294:
290:
289:
284:
280:
276:
272:
268:
264:
260:
255:
253:
249:
245:
241:
237:
233:
232:San Francisco
229:
225:
221:
217:
216:
211:
207:
206:
201:
198:as Seneca in
197:
193:
192:
187:
183:
179:
169:
167:
163:
159:
158:Giorgio Tozzi
155:
151:
146:
144:
140:
136:
132:
131:Nat King Cole
128:
127:Leonie Forbes
124:
120:
117:and attended
116:
106:
104:
103:bass baritone
100:
96:
92:
88:
79:
75:
71:
67:
63:
57:(age 77)
47:
43:
39:
35:
27:
22:
19:
1164:
1136:
1131:
1119:. Retrieved
1115:The Guardian
1113:
1103:
1091:. Retrieved
1087:The Guardian
1085:
1072:
1058:
1048:
1039:
1026:
1014:. Retrieved
1009:
1000:
988:
978:
969:
959:
953:
945:
936:
921:
908:
901:"White Heat"
895:
887:
878:
869:
868:
854:
833:Yvonne Kenny
825:
796:
791:Simon Rattle
778:
736:
726:Linn Records
724:
720:
706:
703:Lorin Maazel
682:
665:
660:Simon Rattle
632:
618:
582:Grammy Award
578:Lorin Maazel
573:
571:
555:
545:
535:
516:
508:Donald Trump
481:
466:
456:
443:
428:Ian McKellen
421:
413:
407:
397:
389:
383:
376:
375:and Ivan in
370:
360:
354:
346:
336:
326:
316:
306:
296:
291:, Golaud in
286:
256:
240:Glyndebourne
213:
203:
189:
181:
178:Hall Overton
175:
166:Maria Callas
147:
139:Paul Robeson
135:civil rights
112:
86:
85:
80:Opera singer
18:
1245:1946 births
1140:, EuroArts.
1093:23 February
888:The Gleaner
709:ever made.
635:Die WalkĂĽre
519:Oley Speaks
496:Free French
448:Trevor Nunn
362:Oedipus Rex
236:Los Angeles
69:Nationality
1239:Categories
930:Classic FM
865:References
837:Jean Rigby
741:Carl Davis
733:, trumpet)
731:Guy Barker
717:in the US)
610:prenominal
484:Portsmouth
477:La Monnaie
367:Mussorgsky
351:Stravinsky
343:John Adams
338:Billy Budd
200:Monteverdi
109:Early life
77:Occupation
51:1946-10-10
1217:Biography
1050:The Times
666:Berlioz:
557:Rigoletto
525:'s poem "
465:'s opera
440:Desdemona
303:Prokofiev
191:La bohème
180:'s opera
137:activist
855:Dvořák:
843:and the
826:Handel:
797:Mozart:
767:". With
633:Wagner:
527:Mandalay
313:Messiaen
252:Salzburg
115:Kingston
99:Jamaican
1203:Portals
1186:Profile
1137:Rusalka
1121:16 July
857:Rusalka
828:Messiah
799:Requiem
763:" and "
745:Copland
612:style "
596:in the
468:Rusalka
423:Othello
404:Berlioz
399:Amadeus
347:El Niño
333:Britten
293:Debussy
275:Puccini
267:Rossini
248:Verbier
160:at the
72:British
1016:7 June
1010:BFM TV
749:Gounod
459:Vodnik
323:Ligeti
283:BartĂłk
279:Wagner
263:Handel
259:Mozart
250:, and
172:Career
1229:Opera
870:Notes
831:with
802:with
753:Bizet
711:Decca
685:with
679:, DVD
642:with
640:Wotan
271:Verdi
1196:IMDb
1123:2013
1095:2022
1018:2019
755:'s "
510:and
498:and
434:and
432:Iago
277:and
45:Born
1194:at
671:as
638:as
616:".
590:CBE
564:.
544:'s
461:in
438:as
430:as
406:'s
388:'s
369:'s
353:'s
325:'s
315:'s
305:'s
295:'s
285:'s
202:'s
95:CBE
38:CBE
1241::
1163:,
1112:.
1084:.
1047:,
1008:.
977:,
944:,
928:,
886:,
835:,
814:,
810:,
806:,
751:,
739::
693:,
689:,
658:,
654:,
646:,
623:.
531:VJ
514:.
506:,
381:.
345:'
341:,
335:'s
273:,
269:,
265:,
261:,
254:.
246:,
242:,
234:,
226:,
222:,
105:.
93:,
91:OM
89:,
53:)
36:,
34:OM
1205::
1125:.
1097:.
1066:.
1020:.
958:"
851:.
822:.
713:(
49:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.