In Celebration of Black History Month: Debuts through the Decades

by San Francisco Opera Staff

This month we would like to honor and recognize different African American Opera stars that have shared their artistry with us. Below are a few highlights from the San Francisco Opera archives. Many, if not all, of these artists continue to sing with us and we are grateful to them for their contributions to the Opera world at large.

1957: Leontyne Price company debut and role debut in Dialogues des Carmelites, as Madame Lidoine. Photo R. Lackenbach.
1963: Reri Grist debuted in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, as Rosina with Herman Prey.
1966: Grace Bumbry debuted in the title role of Carmen. Photo C. M. Jones.
1967: Simon Estes debuted in The Visitation, as Carter Jones. Photo M. Norton.
1972: Shirley Verrett debuted in L’Africaine, as Selika. Photo C.M. Jones.
1973: Leona Mitchell debuted in Carmen, as Micaela. Photo C.M. Jones.
1977: Kathleen Battle debuted in Un Ballo in Maschera, as Oscar.
1991: Denyce Graves debuted in title role of Carmen. Photo M. Sohl.
1997: Michèle Crider debuted in the title role of Aida. Photo M. Sohl.
2011: Gordon Hawkins debuted in Siegfried, as Alberich. Photo Cory Weaver.
2011: Ronnita Miller debuted in Siegfried, as Erda. Photo Cory Weaver.
2016: Lawrence Brownlee debuted in Don Pasquale, as Ernesto. Photo Cory Weaver.
2017: Julia Bullock and Davone Tines both debuted in Girls of the Golden West, as Dame Shirley and Ned Peters. Photo Cory Weaver.