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Michael Sylvester (tenor)

{{short description|American opera singer}}

{{About|the singer|the Olympian|Mike Sylvester|the actor|Sylvester Stallone}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2017}}

Michael Lane Sylvester (born August 21, 1951), is an American operatic lyric-spinto tenor. In the course of his 25-year career on the opera stage, he appeared in leading tenor roles at many of the world's opera houses, including the Metropolitan Opera, La Scala, La Fenice, the Paris Opera, and London's Royal Opera House. He retired from performing in May 2001 and now teaches voice.

Early life and education

Sylvester was born in Noblesville, Indiana. He received a Bachelor of Music degree from Westminster Choir College and a Master of Music degree from Indiana University, where he studied under Margaret Harshaw.

Career

Sylvester made his professional singing debut as the tenor soloist in the Verdi Requiem in 1975 and his operatic debut as Riccardo in Ballo in Maschera. He initially sang in smaller American opera houses before embarking on an international career, making his debut at the Paris Opera as Polione in Norma, his La Scala debut in 1990 as Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly, and his Royal Opera House debut in 1991 as Don José in Carmen.{{sfn|Forbes|2008|page=479}}{{sfn|Bagnoli|1993|page=336}}{{sfn|Kutsch|2004|page=4619}} A Metropolitan Opera National Council winner in 1986,

{{cite news |last=Page |first=Tim |date=April 22, 1986 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1986/04/22/arts/opera-11-met-winners-introduced-in-concert.html |title=11 Met Winners Introduced in Concert |work=New York Times |accessdate=November 4, 2015 }} Sylvester made his Met debut on April 12, 1991 as Rodolfo in Luisa Miller. His other roles with the company included the title role in Don Carlos, Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly, Radames in Aida, Calaf in Turandot, and Gabriele Adorno in Simon Boccanegra. His last appearance there was on October 20, 2000 as Calaf.{{cite web |publisher=Metropolitan Opera Performance Archives |url=http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/gisrch2k.r?Term=Sylvester,%20Michael%20%5BTenor%5D&limit=500&vsrchtype=no&xBranch=ALL&xmtype=&Start=&End=&theterm=Sylvester,%20Michael%20%5BTenor%5D&srt=&x=0&xHome=&xHomePath= |title=Sylvester, Michael (Tenor) |accessdate=November 4, 2015 }} He retired from the opera stage in May 2001.{{cite web|publisher=The Michael O'Neal Singers |url=http://www.mosingers.com/concerts/sylvester.html |title=Biography: Michael Sylvester |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20041016060330/http://www.mosingers.com/concerts/sylvester.html |archivedate=October 16, 2004 |accessdate=November 4, 2015 |url-status=dead }} He was described by Elizabeth Forbes as "a powerful actor" who has "a strong bright-toned voice, with an authentic italianate ring."{{sfn|Forbes|2008|page=479}}

In October 2001, Sylvester made his professional directing debut staging Aida for the Indianapolis Opera. He taught singing both privately and as a faculty member at DePaul University School of Music.{{Cite web

|title=Michael Sylvester {{!}} Faculty A-Z {{!}} Faculty & Staff {{!}} DePaul University School of Music

|url=http://music.depaul.edu/faculty-staff/faculty-a-z/Pages/michael-sylvester.aspx

|website=music.depaul.edu

|accessdate=October 6, 2015

|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150907154227/http://music.depaul.edu/faculty-staff/faculty-a-z/Pages/michael-sylvester.aspx

|archivedate=September 7, 2015

|url-status=dead

}}{{cite magazine |last=West |first=Evan |date=October 1, 2004 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=x-kCAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA92 |title=The Soprano |magazine=Indianapolis Monthly |page=92 |location=Indianapolis |publisher=Emmis Communications |accessdate=January 1, 2012 }}

Sylvester is an associate professor of voice at Wichita State University. He continues to perform in recitals and concerts.{{cite web |url=http://webs.wichita.edu/?u=fa_vocal&p=/sylvester/ |title=Michael Sylvester |accessdate=February 1, 2017 }} He is Co-Founder and Co-Director with Joseph McClain of the San Miguel Institute of Bel Canto in San Miguel de Allende.{{cite web |url=http://www.smibelcanto.com/michael-sylvester-co-director.html |title=Michael Sylvester, Co-director and Vocal Instructor |accessdate=February 1, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170204170022/http://www.smibelcanto.com/michael-sylvester-co-director.html |archive-date=February 4, 2017 |url-status=usurped }}{{cite news |first=Alexis |last=White |url=http://www.sanmiguelscene.com/7-1e-bell-canto |title=Transforming Young Singers One Aria at a Time |accessdate=February 1, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170204171039/http://www.sanmiguelscene.com/7-1e-bell-canto |archive-date=February 4, 2017 |url-status=dead }}

Recordings

References

{{Reflist}}

=Cited texts=

  • {{cite book |last=Bagnoli |first=Giorgio |year=1993 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FUJ0bvo6rQIC&pg=PA336 |title=The La Scala Encyclopedia of the Opera |publisher=Simon and Schuster |isbn=0671870424 }}
  • {{cite book |author-link=Elizabeth Forbes (musicologist) |last=Forbes |first=Elizabeth |year=2008 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=N0zthpCZuAUC&pg=PA480 |title=The Grove Book of Opera Singers |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0195337655 }}
  • {{cite book |author1= Karl-Josef Kutsch |author-link= Karl-Josef Kutsch |author2= Leo Riemens |author2-link= Leo Riemens |year=2004 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dsfq_5dFeL0C&pg=PA4619 |title=Großes Sängerlexikon

|trans-title=Great Singer-songbook |volume=4 |pages=4619–4620 |publisher=Walter de Gruyter |isbn=359844088X |ref= {{sfnRef|Kutsch|2004}} }}

External links

  • {{Official website|tenormls.com}}
  • {{IMDb name|id=1295070|name=Michael Sylvester}}

{{Authority control}}

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Category:1951 births

Category:American operatic tenors

Category:Living people

Category:People from Noblesville, Indiana

Category:Westminster Choir College alumni

Category:Singers from Indiana

Category:Classical musicians from Indiana