Simon Estes: Iowa's world-renowned opera bass-baritone was grandson of former slave

Join The Gazette's Diana Nollen for a Q&A with Iowa native and internationally renowned opera bass-baritone Simon Estes.

Dr. Simon Estes is a trailblazing musician and humanitarian who is known internationally for his operatic bass-baritone voice. Born in 1938 in Centerville, Iowa, his grandfather was a former slave and his father worked as a coal miner. In 1957, Estes started his studies at the University of Iowa and was the first Black singer in "Old Gold Singers". He then continued his studies at the Julliard School in 1964, making his professional opera debut in Berlin, followed by Paris, Hamburg, Vienna, and more.

During his career, Estes has sung more than 100 roles around the world and with conductors such as Leonard Bernstein and Eugene Ormandy. He has performed for U.S presidents and royalty as well as for the South African president Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

In 2022, Estes announced his retirement from his professional performing career spanning more than 60 years. In March 2022 he received an honorary doctoral degree from Julliard School in New York City as part of it's 117th commencement ceremony.

Video captured from keynote session of Iowa Ideas, a production of The Gazette, a 100% employee-owned media company based in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Support our work, subscribe today. https://www.thegazette.com
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