Denise sits down with Baritone, Steven Herring who has performed the roles of  Don Pizarro in Beethoven’s Fidelio, Amonasro in Verdi’s Aida, Sacristan in Puccini’s Tosca, Germont in Verdi’s La Traviata, the title role in Verdi’s Rigoletto, Sharpless in Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, Belcore in Donizetti’sL’Elisir D’amore. Mr. Herring had the distinct pleasure of performing in Jason and Alicia Moran’s WORK SONGS, for the 56th Biennale di Venezia. A recipient of an Olga Forrai Foundation Grant Mr. Herring is also the Director of School and Community Engagement for Bridge Arts Ensemble, an organization of New York based teaching artists which brings high quality music education to over 50,000 public school students in Upstate New York. As a featured soloist, Mr. Herring’s concert repertoire includes performances of Beethoven Choral Fantasy with The Saint Louis Symphony, Fauré Requiem with Orchestra of Saint Lukes, Peter in Bach’s Saint Matthew Passion with Musica Angelica and The Saint Thomas Choir of Men and Boys, Carmina Burana at The John F. Kennedy Center with The CUA Symphony Orchestra, Messiah with The CUA Symphony Orchestra, Mozart Festival with The Juilliard Symphony.What You Will HearWhat attracted Steven to operaWhat makes opera grand and classic and what is different about singing other genresWork SongsWanting to play Othello and controversy in the opera world about blackface.Going to the Juilliard SchoolLife after JuilliardQuotes“You always have to find a way to tap into the emotion of the piece….the emotions color the sound.”“If the voice and the emotion serve  the character, may the best artist win that role.”“I didn't have to go in search of the black experience black my experience is It's the black experience.”MentionedThe Duke Ellington School for the Performing Arts LivingArtsCollaborative.comInstagram Facebook Twitter LinkedInJason and Alicia Hall MoranEd BerkelyEd ZamabaraMarlena MaliceSteven SmithMicheal KahnMarian Seldes