An Opera Star that Truly Shines Bright
Rodolfo Morales
Opera singers are many times stereotyped as arrogant snobs, unwilling to fraternize with the common people, always with an attitude and air of superiority. If ever there was an opera singer to refute this stereotype, it is Angela Brown. Brown, who stars as Aida in the Opera “Aida” at the Metropolitan Opera, visited a group of students at Baruch College to discuss her career and rise from being a girl from the South to becoming the opera star she is today.
Angela Brown was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, and her mother apparently passed down her gift of music to her. Her father was a Baptist minister, and at the age of 5 she began singing in her church choir. Throughout her early life, Ms. Brown never considered classical music or opera as an option for her career, but instead she wanted to work in musical theatre as a performer. Later on, Angela Brown studied in Oakwood College, where she received a BA in Music and a BA in Art. For her, music and Bible instructing came hand-in-hand, so she desired to sing gospel music. However, to do this, she first had to study classical music.
When it came to classical music, Ms. Brown said that the only person holding her back was herself. She found it strange that an African American woman would sing something so “Eurocentric.” She stated that she had not yet caught up with her true vision of singing opera. Her teachers all encouraged her to take opera, so she finally allowed herself to like opera, and it overtook her. She even won several singing competitions on regional and district levels and won, but she still was not able to catch u with “the vision.”
Ms. Brown later moved to Queens, New York where she auditioned at the Met, and she was hired as a cover for 3 seasons for the parts of Aida and Ariadne. In the 2004 season, she did 12 covers and 2 performances. One of the greatest honors she received was being the first singer since Maria Collis in 1959 to be on the first page of the New York Times. The title of the article read, “At Last, an Aida.” Since then, it has only been uphill for Angela Brown, who now sings as Aida and in other roles regularly.
One of Angela Brown’s most notable characteristics was her humility and her ability to connect with the students. She gladly answered their questions and related her past experiences with a humor that only made her seem warmer. One of the most noticeable aspects of her speech was the very positive message she tried to get through to the students. For example, one of her most powerful statements was “To whom much is given, much is required.” She explained how this especially applies to her, as she has been given so many opportunities in her life, but with that she must also work very hard. Her job as an opera singer is very demanding, and she must practice singing every day, whether it be diction or memorizing lines. Overall, Angela Brown’s visit to Baruch was an absolute pleasure. She was a perfect example of how being a celebrity does not necessarily mean that a person must be arrogant. She truly inspired the students that she spoke with, and left a lasting impression on them which surely shall not fade away for a long time.