Robert Todd Duncan (February 2, 1903-February 28, 1998) was an American baritone opera singer and actor.
Duncan was born in Danville, Kentucky. He was George Gershwin's personal choice as the first performer of the role of Porgy in Porgy and Bess in 1935. Duncan played the role more than 1,800 times. He was also the first performer for the role of Stephen Kumalo in Kurt Weill's Lost in the Stars and was a noted concert singer. Duncan taught voice at Howard University in Washington, D.C. for more than fifty years.
He obtained his musical training at Butler University in Indianapolis with a B.A. in music followed by an M.A. from Columbia University Teachers College. In 1933, Duncan debuted in Mascagni's Cavalleria Rusticana at the Mecca Temple in New York with the Aeolian Opera, a black opera company. In 1945, he became the first African American to sing with a major opera company singing the role of Tonio in Leoncavallo's Pagliacci with the New York City Opera Company. In the...
Created by dipity
on Feb 7, 2008
Last updated: 03/11/10 at 03:01 PM
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