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Cecile Cooper newspaper clippings, 1966-1987

1978-11-12 ""'Bias' remains, Estes says"" Page 1

MUSIC/ART/BOOKS DMSR - Nov. 12, 1978

'Bias' remains, Estes says

By NICK BALDWIN
Register Music Critic

ALMOST TWO decades ago, the opera-going public associated the title role in Wagner's opera "The Flying Dutchman" with bass-baritone George London.
In this country and in the houses of Europe, London received critical acclaim for his vocal powers and his acting ability in the role.
Today London is retired from the operatic stage but another bass-baritone has come up and is making The Dutchman role his own.
Simon Estes, born in 1938 in Centerville, last August opened Germany's Bayreuth Festival as The Dutchman. He was the first black male to sing a major part there.
In Iowa last week to visit his mother, Mrs. Ruth Estes, who lives in Des Moines, and to receive an alumni award from the University of Iowa at Iowa City, Estes said in an interview that he had problems in Bayreuth.
In fact, it looked for a while as if Estes might back away from the whole thing and not sing the role.
He explained that the director, from Communist East Germany, "conceived of The Dutchman as a Prometheus-like figure -- and he wanted me to make my stage appearance in the nude."
"I told him that if he wanted a naked Dutchman he'd have to go find himself someone else, and eventually we reached a compromise," Estes said.
Harry Kupfer, the first director from the Communist bloc to work at Bayreuth, and Estes arrived at a compromise that consisted of Estes portraying the Hollander dressed as a slave in chains, a concept that Estes does not agree with.
"The trouble with the directors from East Germany is that they want to be overly dramatic and they place more emphasis on drama than on the music," he said.
Many among the critics agreed with Estes' evaluation and faulted the Bayreuth production for its obsession with exaggerated movement and for rolling-on-the-floor drama. And Estes says he resented the idea of being cast as a Dutchman who was made to look like a chained slave.
Although the Bayreuth production was controversial, the singing by Estes received unanimous praise. in fact, it was because of previous appearances in the role elsewhere in Germany that Estes came to the attention of festival organizers.
Wolfgang Wagner, the festival's director and the composer's grandson, engaged Estes on the basis of his reputation in "Dutchman" productions in Zurich and Munich.

WHILE ESTES says that his success in the Wagner role has added a new dimension to his career, it represents only a small part of his singing activities.
He says he has 80 roles at his command and a schedule of singing engagements that has him booked until fall 1980.
Recently he made his debut at La Scala in Milan as Arkel in "Pelleas et Melisande" by Debussy and at the State Opera of Hamburg as King Philip in Verdi's "Don Carlo."
He has been engaged to sing the title role in Verdi's "Macbeth" at Hamburg and next year he will be heard at Zurich in the title role of "Boris Godunov," by Mussorgsky.
Estes' debut at the Metropolitan Opera in New York was in 1976 as Oroveso in Bellin's "Norma," and, starting in November of next year, he has been engaged by the Met to appear in three productions.
The first of these will be as Prince Gremin in "Eugene Onegin," by Tchaikovsky, to be followed by the Landgrave of Thuringia in Wagner's "
Tannhauser" and, finally, as the "Pellas" Arkel.
Estes says the turning point in his career was in 1966, when he received a silver medal in Moscow in the first Tchaikovsky Vocal Competition.
Although Estes has had numerous engagements in this country, a great portion of his professional career has been on the European opera circuit.
Things are getting better for the black singer in this country and Estes is quick to point out that he is appearing as The Dutchman in San Francisco next October and as Wotan in "Die Walkure'" in Tulsa the following year.
However, he is also quick to assert that radical discrimination at U.S. opera houses is still rampant.
"Even after a successful career in Europe, it is difficult for a black singer to be engaged for major operatic roles in this country," Estes said.
"It was worse 10 years ago, but even today the discrimination is greater than it is in the European houses, where they look for a voice and are not that concerned with color."
He would not mention names but he


Estes concert
IOWA CITY, IA. -- Bass-baritone Simon Estes will sing a benefit concert for the University of Iowa School of Music at 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 17, in Hancher Auditorium here.
Estes' program will include selections from Mozart's "The Magic Flute," four songs by Schubert, Hugo Wolf's "Michelangelo Lieder," selections from Verdi's "Macbeth" and Handel's "Messiah," two songs by Purcell and four spirituals.
Tickets, at $6 (with additional contributions invited), are available from the Hancher Auditorium Box Office, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Ia. 52242 or by telephoning the toll-free Hancher number, 1-800-272-6458.

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MUSIC/ART/BOOKS DMSR - Nov. 12, 1978 'Bias' remains, Estes says By NICK BALDWIN Register Music Critic ALMOST TWO decades ago, the opera-going public associated the title role in Wagner's opera "The Flying Dutchman" with bass-baritone George London. In this country and in the houses of Europe, London received critical acclaim for his vocal powers and his acting ability in the role. Today London is retired from the operatic stage but another bass-baritone has come up and is making The Dutchman role his own. Simon Estes, born in 1938 in Centerville, last August opened Germany's Bayreuth Festival as The Dutchman. He was the first black male to sing a major part there. In Iowa last week to visit his mother, Mrs. Ruth Estes, who lives in Des Moines, and to receive an alumni award from the University of Iowa at Iowa City, Estes said in an interview that he had problems in Bayreuth. In fact, it looked for a while as if Estes might back away from the whole thing and not sing the role. He explained that the director, from Communist East Germany, "conceived of The Dutchman as a Prometheus-like figure -- and he wanted me to make my stage appearance in the nude." "I told him that if he wanted a naked Dutchman he'd have to go find himself someone else, and eventually we reached a compromise," Estes said. Harry Kupfer, the first director from the Communist bloc to work at Bayreuth, and Estes arrived at a compromise that consisted of Estes portraying the Hollander dressed as a slave in chains, a concept that Estes does not agree with. "The trouble with the directors from East Germany is that they want to be overly dramatic and they place more emphasis on drama than on the music," he said. Many among the critics agreed with Estes' evaluation and faulted the Bayreuth production for its obsession with exaggerated movement and for rolling-on-the-floor drama. And Estes says he resented the idea of being cast as a Dutchman who was made to look like a chained slave. Although the Bayreuth production was controversial, the singing by Estes received unanimous praise. in fact, it was because of previous appearances in the role elsewhere in Germany that Estes came to the attention of festival organizers. Wolfgang Wagner, the festival's director and the composer's grandson, engaged Estes on the basis of his reputation in "Dutchman" productions in Zurich and Munich. WHILE ESTES says that his success in the Wagner role has added a new dimension to his career, it represents only a small part of his singing activities. He says he has 80 roles at his command and a schedule of singing engagements that has him booked until fall 1980. Recently he made his debut at La Scala in Milan as Arkel in "Pelleas et Melisande" by Debussy and at the State Opera of Hamburg as King Philip in Verdi's "Don Carlo." He has been engaged to sing the title role in Verdi's "Macbeth" at Hamburg and next year he will be heard at Zurich in the title role of "Boris Godunov," by Mussorgsky. Estes' debut at the Metropolitan Opera in New York was in 1976 as Oroveso in Bellin's "Norma," and, starting in November of next year, he has been engaged by the Met to appear in three productions. The first of these will be as Prince Gremin in "Eugene Onegin," by Tchaikovsky, to be followed by the Landgrave of Thuringia in Wagner's " Tannhauser" and, finally, as the "Pellas" Arkel. Estes says the turning point in his career was in 1966, when he received a silver medal in Moscow in the first Tchaikovsky Vocal Competition. Although Estes has had numerous engagements in this country, a great portion of his professional career has been on the European opera circuit. Things are getting better for the black singer in this country and Estes is quick to point out that he is appearing as The Dutchman in San Francisco next October and as Wotan in "Die Walkure'" in Tulsa the following year. However, he is also quick to assert that radical discrimination at U.S. opera houses is still rampant. "Even after a successful career in Europe, it is difficult for a black singer to be engaged for major operatic roles in this country," Estes said. "It was worse 10 years ago, but even today the discrimination is greater than it is in the European houses, where they look for a voice and are not that concerned with color." He would not mention names but he Estes concert IOWA CITY, IA. -- Bass-baritone Simon Estes will sing a benefit concert for the University of Iowa School of Music at 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 17, in Hancher Auditorium here. Estes' program will include selections from Mozart's "The Magic Flute," four songs by Schubert, Hugo Wolf's "Michelangelo Lieder," selections from Verdi's "Macbeth" and Handel's "Messiah," two songs by Purcell and four spirituals. Tickets, at $6 (with additional contributions invited), are available from the Hancher Auditorium Box Office, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Ia. 52242 or by telephoning the toll-free Hancher number, 1-800-272-6458.