Page 36 - Classical Singer magazine 2019 Fall University Issue

The Griffey Gospel
Griffey and Wendy Bryn Harmer as Alfred and Rosalinde in Houston Grand Opera’s production of Die Fledermaus, 2013
and an accomplished recitalist. On a personal level, he has a terri c sense of humor and is a popular colleague.”
Another famous artist, Audra McDonald, rst met Gri ey at Juilliard and went on to sing alongside him at LA Opera in Kurt Weill’s Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny. The acclaimed Broadway and television star says, “Tony has one of the most glorious voices ever—like in the history of all history—and he is an absolute joy to work with. There are about 20 people on this planet who can make me laugh really, really hard, and Tony is one of them. He’s a true empath and feels so deeply about humanity, and I think it’s what makes him such a great artist.”
Still developing his con dence as a performer while studying at Juilliard in the 90s, Gri ey much preferred performing rather than auditioning. Fortunately for him, he only ever needed to sing ve auditions in his
BRILLIANCE AWAITS.
Hone your singing craft and build your 21st-century musicianship in a transformative, award-winning opera program. Learn from internationally-recognized vocalists, while performing in innovative productions like a sign language staging of Leonard Bernstein’s Mass. Other award-winning recent performances include:
LE COMTE ORY (2018)
First prize: Best Opera Production, Division 4
National Opera Association
HYDROGEN JUKEBOX (2017)
First prize: Best Opera Production
The American Prize
GO.LAWRENCE.EDU/CLASSICAL
36 Classical Singer | September/October 2019
photo by Felix Sanchez