DIY History | Transcribe | Campus Culture | Cecile Cooper newspaper clippings, 1966-1987 | 1986-01-28 ""Busy Simon Estes finds time for gospel album""

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Cecile Cooper newspaper clippings, 1966-1987

1986-01-28 ""Busy Simon Estes finds time for gospel album""

Busy Simon Estes finds time for gospel album

P-C 1/28/86

[[photo caption]]Simon Estes is busier than ever and has several records coming out this year.[[end caption]]

By Mary Campbell
The Associated Press

A number of opera singers recently have made recordings of pop songs. Simon Estes has made one of gospel songs, titled "Spirituals," which Philips Records is releasing in late January, so it'll arrive in stores for February -- black history month.
Estes, an opera star whose Metropolitan Opera contracts extend through 1989 and who is booked into 1990 in Europe, hasn't made an album of gospel songs before. He has known gospel songs since childhood. He says he has previously sung all but a couple on the album.
"Harold Roberts, the man who arranged them, and I discussed what songs to choose," Estes says. We wanted to give a variety, some fast, some slow, some expressing despair, some joy, some hope. We didn't discuss if they were well known. People will have heard most of them at some time.
"the first performances I sang, of spirituals and hymns, were at the Second Baptist Church in Centerville, Iowa, between ages 7 and 9. I was a soloist; I didn't sing in the choir.
"In high school I was in a choir. I sang first soprano and tenor. I had a high C that just didn't stop. My voice changed late. My senior year I couldn't sing my high notes any more and after 10 minutes my voice just went away. I thought there was something wrong with my throat. They sent me to one of our local GPs and he said, 'Your voice is changing.'
"For two or three years I couldn't sustain anything. All of a sudden my voice started combing back. I thought I was a tenor. I ended up being a bass-baritone."
After this album of spirituals, Estes may make a pop album, of the kind of love songs that Nat Cole used to sing.
Estes, who has sung for the last eight summers at the Bayreuth Festival in Germany where Wagner operas are presented, made a solo Wagner album in 1984 that won France's 1985 grand prix de disque for operatic solo album of the year. In December he cut a solo Verdi album.
Estes was Porty and Grace Bumbry was Bess when the Metropolitan Opera first performed Gershwin's 1935 opera in early 1985. He and Roberta Alexander are on an album of "Porgy and Bess" highlights. Last summer, Estes as the Dutchman, with Lisbeth Balslev from Copenhagen as Senta, recorded "The Flying Dutchman," which will come out this year. The same cast sang it last summer at Bayreuth and filmed it. A recording of Beethoven's "Ninth Symphony," which includes Estes, also will be released in 1986. All his records are on Philips.
"Parsifal," recorded at Bayreuth last summer, will be released later. This season at the Met, Estes is singing Amfortas in "Parsifal" and Porgy.
"I've just done my first Macbeth," Estes says. He sang it in October in Zurich and Munich. "I think it is probably the biggest success I've ever had. People say so. I've always sung Banquo in that opera before.
"From there I went to Berlin and did 'Das Rheingold' and 'Die Walkure' in the new Ring production. I came back to the states to do Porgy and orchestra dates in Des Moines and San Antonio and recitals in Florida, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and Texas. Then back to Europe for recitals in Paris and Zurich and to start rehearsals for a new production of 'Salome' in Zurich. I sing John the Baptist.
"In March I'm making my debut at Covent Garden in a new production of 'The Flying Dutchman.' In April I'll be coming back to the Met as well as going to the University of Iowa, my alma mater, for 'Boris Godunov.'
In the future, this busy singer has more top-notch engagements coming up. He'll sing Wotan in "Die Walkuere" next September at the metropolitan Opera's opening night. He'll sing Macbeth in Vienna in January 1987 and in  Berlin that year. He'll sing his first Renato in "A Masked Ball" at Covent Garden in December. He'll record Verdi with Jesse Norman and Margaret Price with Leonard Berstein conducting next August. Next year he'll record the four villains in "The Tales of Hoffmann."
He has sung Escamillo in "Carmen" on stage. He says, "I'm starting to sing more baritone parts. Macbeth is a baritone part. I've always had the high notes. When I was younger I could never sustain the tessitura (prevailing level) of a higher repertoire. Now I can; my voice is more mature. I'm going to sing a lot more Verdi baritone parts.
In 1988 he'll stage "Porgy and Bess" and sing Porgy in Anchorage, which is building a new opera house.
"I'm trying to limit myself to not singing more than 60 or 70 performances a year," Estes says. "At this stage of my career, I feel honored to say I can kind of choose and accept what is offered to me. I don't want to sing too much, so I can give the public the best I can give."
Estes his Swiss wife and children, Jennifer Barbara, nearly 3, and Lynne Ashley, 1, live in New Jersey and Zurich. Estes says, "We're happily married and grateful we have two healthy children. I'm the happiest of my life. When I'm happy at home, I can be happier on stage. My family comes first."

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Busy Simon Estes finds time for gospel album P-C 1/28/86 [[photo caption]]Simon Estes is busier than ever and has several records coming out this year.[[end caption]] By Mary Campbell The Associated Press A number of opera singers recently have made recordings of pop songs. Simon Estes has made one of gospel songs, titled "Spirituals," which Philips Records is releasing in late January, so it'll arrive in stores for February -- black history month. Estes, an opera star whose Metropolitan Opera contracts extend through 1989 and who is booked into 1990 in Europe, hasn't made an album of gospel songs before. He has known gospel songs since childhood. He says he has previously sung all but a couple on the album. "Harold Roberts, the man who arranged them, and I discussed what songs to choose," Estes says. We wanted to give a variety, some fast, some slow, some expressing despair, some joy, some hope. We didn't discuss if they were well known. People will have heard most of them at some time. "the first performances I sang, of spirituals and hymns, were at the Second Baptist Church in Centerville, Iowa, between ages 7 and 9. I was a soloist; I didn't sing in the choir. "In high school I was in a choir. I sang first soprano and tenor. I had a high C that just didn't stop. My voice changed late. My senior year I couldn't sing my high notes any more and after 10 minutes my voice just went away. I thought there was something wrong with my throat. They sent me to one of our local GPs and he said, 'Your voice is changing.' "For two or three years I couldn't sustain anything. All of a sudden my voice started combing back. I thought I was a tenor. I ended up being a bass-baritone." After this album of spirituals, Estes may make a pop album, of the kind of love songs that Nat Cole used to sing. Estes, who has sung for the last eight summers at the Bayreuth Festival in Germany where Wagner operas are presented, made a solo Wagner album in 1984 that won France's 1985 grand prix de disque for operatic solo album of the year. In December he cut a solo Verdi album. Estes was Porty and Grace Bumbry was Bess when the Metropolitan Opera first performed Gershwin's 1935 opera in early 1985. He and Roberta Alexander are on an album of "Porgy and Bess" highlights. Last summer, Estes as the Dutchman, with Lisbeth Balslev from Copenhagen as Senta, recorded "The Flying Dutchman," which will come out this year. The same cast sang it last summer at Bayreuth and filmed it. A recording of Beethoven's "Ninth Symphony," which includes Estes, also will be released in 1986. All his records are on Philips. "Parsifal," recorded at Bayreuth last summer, will be released later. This season at the Met, Estes is singing Amfortas in "Parsifal" and Porgy. "I've just done my first Macbeth," Estes says. He sang it in October in Zurich and Munich. "I think it is probably the biggest success I've ever had. People say so. I've always sung Banquo in that opera before. "From there I went to Berlin and did 'Das Rheingold' and 'Die Walkure' in the new Ring production. I came back to the states to do Porgy and orchestra dates in Des Moines and San Antonio and recitals in Florida, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and Texas. Then back to Europe for recitals in Paris and Zurich and to start rehearsals for a new production of 'Salome' in Zurich. I sing John the Baptist. "In March I'm making my debut at Covent Garden in a new production of 'The Flying Dutchman.' In April I'll be coming back to the Met as well as going to the University of Iowa, my alma mater, for 'Boris Godunov.' In the future, this busy singer has more top-notch engagements coming up. He'll sing Wotan in "Die Walkuere" next September at the metropolitan Opera's opening night. He'll sing Macbeth in Vienna in January 1987 and in Berlin that year. He'll sing his first Renato in "A Masked Ball" at Covent Garden in December. He'll record Verdi with Jesse Norman and Margaret Price with Leonard Berstein conducting next August. Next year he'll record the four villains in "The Tales of Hoffmann." He has sung Escamillo in "Carmen" on stage. He says, "I'm starting to sing more baritone parts. Macbeth is a baritone part. I've always had the high notes. When I was younger I could never sustain the tessitura (prevailing level) of a higher repertoire. Now I can; my voice is more mature. I'm going to sing a lot more Verdi baritone parts. In 1988 he'll stage "Porgy and Bess" and sing Porgy in Anchorage, which is building a new opera house. "I'm trying to limit myself to not singing more than 60 or 70 performances a year," Estes says. "At this stage of my career, I feel honored to say I can kind of choose and accept what is offered to me. I don't want to sing too much, so I can give the public the best I can give." Estes his Swiss wife and children, Jennifer Barbara, nearly 3, and Lynne Ashley, 1, live in New Jersey and Zurich. Estes says, "We're happily married and grateful we have two healthy children. I'm the happiest of my life. When I'm happy at home, I can be happier on stage. My family comes first."