DIY History | Transcribe | Campus Culture | Cecile Cooper newspaper clippings, 1966-1987 | 1978-07-27 ""Simon Estes Cheered at Bayreuth"" 1978-02-21 ""Iowa Native Lands Top Role In Opera Fete"" 1978-12-10 ""Iowa baritone in recital""

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Cecile Cooper newspaper clippings, 1966-1987

1978-07-27 ""Simon Estes Cheered at Bayreuth"" 1978-02-21 ""Iowa Native Lands Top Role In Opera Fete"" 1978-12-10 ""Iowa baritone in recital""

THE NEW YORK TIMES, THURSDAY, JULY 27, 1978

Simon Estes Cheered at Bayreuth

Bayreuth, West Germany, July 26 (AP) - Simon Estes, the American singer, won acclaim last night in "The Flying Dutchman" at the opening of the 1978 Bayreuth Festival. He was the first black male to sing a lead role at the shrine of Wagnerian opera.

The 40-year-old bass-baritone from Centerville, Iowa, received thunderous applause from a capacity crowd of 2,000 at the Bavarian opera house.

But the audience was divided in its reaction to the tradition-shattering production of Harry Kupfer, an East German director, and Dennis Russell Davies, the American conductor, cheering and booing for 20 minutes after the curtain had dropped.

Mr. Estes portrayed the Hollander dressed as a slave in chains, transforming the ship's crew at one point into a bourgeois gang dressed in top hats.

Mr. Kupfer's production, which he first presented at the Dresden State Opera, was performed without intermissions.

Mr. Estes previously sang the Hollander at Munich and Zurich. He has been a full-time opera singer since 1963, appearing in Western Europe as well as the United States.

About 60,000 people will attend the 30 Wagnerian productions at the annual festival though Aug. 28. Tickets have been sold out for months.

Iowa baritone in recital
Simon Estes, an Iowa native and former University of Iowa student who has become internationally-known bass-baritone, returns to to Hancher Auditorium in Iowa City in recital at 3 p.m. next Sunday.
Estes's program will be "O Iss und Osiris" and "In diesen heil' gen Hallen" from Mozart's Magic Flute," four songs: "Der Atlas," "Das Fischermadchen," "Die Taubenpost" and  "in der Ferne" by Schubert; "Michelangelo Lieder" by Wolf; "Perfidi All' Anglo contor me v' unite" and "Pieta, rispetto, amore" from Verdils "Macbeth," "Thus Sayeth the Lord" and "The Trumpet Shall Sound" from Handel's "Messiah," "Strike the Viol" and "I'll Sail Upon the Dog Star" by Purcell, and four spirituals, "Every Time I Feel the Spirit," "Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen," "Weepin' Mary" and "Wade in the Water," arranged by Burleigh.
Born in Centerville, Iowa in 1938, Estes studied pre-med, theology and social psychology and sang in the Old Gold Singers at the University of Iowa.
The black vocalist won the Munich International Competition in 1965 and was a prize winner in Moscow's first International Tchaikovsky Vocal Competition in 1966.
[Image of Estes]
Simon Estes

Sunday Argus Quad-Citian, December 10, 1978                            10



Tues., Feb. 21, 1978
DES MOINES REGISTER / 5A
IOWA NATIVE LANDS TOP ROLE IN OPERA FETE

BAYREUTH, WEST GERMANY (AP) - Iowa-born operatic singer Simon Estes was named Monday to the lead role in "The Flying Dutchman" at the 1978 Bayreuth Festival, the first black male ever selected for a title part here, organizers said.
Selection of the 40-year-old bass-baritone could bring protests from traditionalists of the annual Richard Wagner opera festival, opening July 25. 
America's Grace Bumbry was the only other black to sing a lead role at the festival, shocking many old-line Wagnerians with her appearances in several operas during the mid-1960s. Estes, of Centerville, Ia., will sing in the "Flying Dutchman" production directed by East Germany's Harry Kupfer, head of the Dresden State Opera. 
Lisbeth Balslev of Copenhagen, Denmark, will sing the role of Senta, the organizers said.
Estes, son of Ruth Estes, studied at the University of Iowa at Iowa City and the Juilliard School of Music in New York City. He once appeared at North High School as a featured soloist with the Des Moines Symphony Orchestra and at Hoyt Sherman Place in a recital sponsored by the Civic Music Association of Des Moines.
Estes won critical acclaim for his recent appearances in the role at the Munich State Opera, where Bayreuth organizers were so impressed they offered him the "Flying Dutchman" role.
Estes is currently appearing in the Zurich opera, where he also has sung the lead role in "Flying Dutchman."
Estes studied medicine, psychology and theology in the United States before he turned to full-time opera studies in 1963.
His first big success came in 1965 in Munich, where he won third place in the West German radio network's annual competition for young singers.
The Wagner festival, a series of productions over several weeks, is West Germany's most famous opera extravaganza.

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THE NEW YORK TIMES, THURSDAY, JULY 27, 1978 Simon Estes Cheered at Bayreuth Bayreuth, West Germany, July 26 (AP) - Simon Estes, the American singer, won acclaim last night in "The Flying Dutchman" at the opening of the 1978 Bayreuth Festival. He was the first black male to sing a lead role at the shrine of Wagnerian opera. The 40-year-old bass-baritone from Centerville, Iowa, received thunderous applause from a capacity crowd of 2,000 at the Bavarian opera house. But the audience was divided in its reaction to the tradition-shattering production of Harry Kupfer, an East German director, and Dennis Russell Davies, the American conductor, cheering and booing for 20 minutes after the curtain had dropped. Mr. Estes portrayed the Hollander dressed as a slave in chains, transforming the ship's crew at one point into a bourgeois gang dressed in top hats. Mr. Kupfer's production, which he first presented at the Dresden State Opera, was performed without intermissions. Mr. Estes previously sang the Hollander at Munich and Zurich. He has been a full-time opera singer since 1963, appearing in Western Europe as well as the United States. About 60,000 people will attend the 30 Wagnerian productions at the annual festival though Aug. 28. Tickets have been sold out for months. Iowa baritone in recital Simon Estes, an Iowa native and former University of Iowa student who has become internationally-known bass-baritone, returns to to Hancher Auditorium in Iowa City in recital at 3 p.m. next Sunday. Estes's program will be "O Iss und Osiris" and "In diesen heil' gen Hallen" from Mozart's Magic Flute," four songs: "Der Atlas," "Das Fischermadchen," "Die Taubenpost" and "in der Ferne" by Schubert; "Michelangelo Lieder" by Wolf; "Perfidi All' Anglo contor me v' unite" and "Pieta, rispetto, amore" from Verdils "Macbeth," "Thus Sayeth the Lord" and "The Trumpet Shall Sound" from Handel's "Messiah," "Strike the Viol" and "I'll Sail Upon the Dog Star" by Purcell, and four spirituals, "Every Time I Feel the Spirit," "Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen," "Weepin' Mary" and "Wade in the Water," arranged by Burleigh. Born in Centerville, Iowa in 1938, Estes studied pre-med, theology and social psychology and sang in the Old Gold Singers at the University of Iowa. The black vocalist won the Munich International Competition in 1965 and was a prize winner in Moscow's first International Tchaikovsky Vocal Competition in 1966. [Image of Estes] Simon Estes Sunday Argus Quad-Citian, December 10, 1978 10 Tues., Feb. 21, 1978 DES MOINES REGISTER / 5A IOWA NATIVE LANDS TOP ROLE IN OPERA FETE BAYREUTH, WEST GERMANY (AP) - Iowa-born operatic singer Simon Estes was named Monday to the lead role in "The Flying Dutchman" at the 1978 Bayreuth Festival, the first black male ever selected for a title part here, organizers said. Selection of the 40-year-old bass-baritone could bring protests from traditionalists of the annual Richard Wagner opera festival, opening July 25. America's Grace Bumbry was the only other black to sing a lead role at the festival, shocking many old-line Wagnerians with her appearances in several operas during the mid-1960s. Estes, of Centerville, Ia., will sing in the "Flying Dutchman" production directed by East Germany's Harry Kupfer, head of the Dresden State Opera. Lisbeth Balslev of Copenhagen, Denmark, will sing the role of Senta, the organizers said. Estes, son of Ruth Estes, studied at the University of Iowa at Iowa City and the Juilliard School of Music in New York City. He once appeared at North High School as a featured soloist with the Des Moines Symphony Orchestra and at Hoyt Sherman Place in a recital sponsored by the Civic Music Association of Des Moines. Estes won critical acclaim for his recent appearances in the role at the Munich State Opera, where Bayreuth organizers were so impressed they offered him the "Flying Dutchman" role. Estes is currently appearing in the Zurich opera, where he also has sung the lead role in "Flying Dutchman." Estes studied medicine, psychology and theology in the United States before he turned to full-time opera studies in 1963. His first big success came in 1965 in Munich, where he won third place in the West German radio network's annual competition for young singers. The Wagner festival, a series of productions over several weeks, is West Germany's most famous opera extravaganza.