George Shirley
Dominique-René de Lerma:
PRESIDENT OBAMA TO HONOR GEORGE SHIRLEY
In
the East Room of the White on 10 September, President Obama will confer
the National Medal of Arts on tenor George Shirley for his life of
dedication to the arts.
Professor Shirley joined the faculty of the University of Michigan in 1987, where he served as the Joseph
Edgar Maddy Distinguished University Professor of Music anajor roles. His brilliant career included
engagements at London’s Royal Opera, Berlin’s Deutsche Oper, the Teatro
Colón (Buenos Aires), Amsterdam’s Netherlands Opera, the Opéra de
Monte-Carlo, the Scottish Opera, and Glyndebourne, as well as the major
American companies. He was selected by Stravinsky to record that
composer’s Oedipus Rex, Pulcinella, and Renard, with Stravinsky conducting.
Before
his move to Ann Arbor he was on the faculties of the University of
Maryland-College Park and at Morgan State University. More than a
generation of artists and teachers are products of his studio, and he
has given hisd Director of the Vocal Arts Division. For eleven seasons he was the first Black leading tenor with the Metropolitan Opera, celebrated for his performances particularly of Mozart, Verdi, Puccini, Wagner, and Debussy – a total of more than 80 m advice and support freely and generously to yet many more.
Winner
of a Grammy, he has been honored by the National Association of
Teachers of Singing and holds honorary degrees from Wilberforce
University, Montclair State College, Lake Forest College, and the
University of Northern Iowa.
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