April Haines dared to dream of singing opera professionally, for over two decades she has been and still is living that dream as a full time member in the chorus at the Metropolitan Opera Theatre.
The handful of African Americans who work full-time in the chorus and collectively have in excess of 100 years of service at the Metropolitan Opera Theatre share their colorful stories & costumes and their journeys.
In 1947, Helen Phillips was called to fill in for a Soprano at the last minute and became the first African American person to sing on the prestigious stage at the MET.
Marian Anderson was the first black singer that the famed opera house signed on in 1954 and made her debut in January 1955.
Robert McFerrin Sr. made his debut in 1955 as the first African American male to be featured and under contract at the Metropolitan Opera.
The first chorister to be given a contract by the company was Elinor Harper in 1961, a pioneer in racial integration of the Metropolitan Opera Company. She retired in 1999.
Opera Magazine cover September 2019.
