Vinson Cole (b.1950) studied at the Curtis Institute, Philadelphia, singing Werther in 1975 before becoming a Santa Fé apprentice. In 1976 he sang Belmonte for the Welsh National Opera and created Innis Brown in Ulysses Kay’s Jubilee in Jackson, Mississippi. At St. Louis (1976-80) he sang Count Ory, Ernesto and Tamino. In 1981 he sang Fenton in Nicolai’s The Merry Wives of Windsor for the New York City Opera. Although he was working quite steadily, it wasn’t until 1984, when Mr. Cole sang for Herbert von Karajan, that his career really took off. That year he sang the role of the Italian Singer in Der Rosenkavalier in Salzburg, Austria. Thereafter, he sang regularly in European Opera houses. In 1987 Mr. Cole made his Metropolitan Opera debut as Alfredo.
Mel Foster: Did you have a hard time finding management?
Vinson Cole: No, I didn’t have a hard time finding management. I was really lucky. I had an apprenticeship for two years at Santa Fé Opera. After my first year, they were very helpful in arranging auditions and helping me to find management in New York. So I didn’t have any problems at all.
M.F.: With whom are you under management?
V.C.: I’m under management with Columbia Artist Management.
M.F.: What roles have you performed most often?
V.C.: That’s a big question. I have performed Rodolfo in La Bohème, Alfredo in La Traviata, Don Jose in Carmen, Werther, Don Carlos, Tamino in Magic Flute, Faust in Gounod’s Faust and Berlioz’s Damnation of Faust and a host of others.
M.F.: Do you find any verity in the statement that most minority operatic tenors find most of their work doing concerts rather than operas?
V.C.: It varies from performer to performer. Before I went to Europe in ‘82, I found most of my work by doing concerts. Some of my seasons may consist of 70% concerts and 30% opera. Sometimes that scenario is reversed. I think it depends on the individual and who is interested in him for that season. At this point in my career, I would say that the concerts are performed in the States and my operatic performances are in Europe.
M.F.: Do you think there is a reason for most of your operatic performances taking place overseas?
V.C.: One never knows. However, my management has been told by opera companies that they would not have a black tenor singing opposite a white soprano. It comes down to a black man kissing a white woman, doesn’t it? It doesn’t work the other way, because in slavery days it was acceptable for a white man to have black mistresses. I never encountered prejudice until I really got into this business, and then not from the audience. It dawned on me every once in a while that maybe I wasn’t being hired because somebody on the board might be upset. I think that it certainly does exist. I can’t pinpoint every company and say that that is the reason that I am not hired. Hiring somebody is very subjective. There are so many checks and balances. Some people are going to like you and some won’t, no matter what color you are. Subjectivity plays an important part in everybody’s career. I know that there is some prejudice out there, but I can’t say how much effect it has on the careers of other singers.
M.F.: While performing, have you ever experienced a negative reaction from someone toward your ethnic background?
V.C.: No. I’ve never had a problem with conductors, stage directors or colleagues. I’ve always had wonderful experiences in performances.
M.F.: You mentioned that sometimes your seasons are filled with more concert work than opera performances. Of what does your concert repertoire consist?
V.C.: Oh, I sing everything. Stravinsky’s Oedipus Rex; Missa Solemnis and the Ninth Symphony by Beethoven; Verdi’s Requiem; Dvorak’s Stabat Mater; Haydn’s Creation; Händel’s Messiah; Damnation of Faust by Berlioz… you name it and I’ve probably sung it.
M.F.: What kind of advice would you give to a young tenor embarking on an operatic career?
V.C.: I would say the most important thing is to find the correct voice teacher who can make your vocal apparatus as technically proficient as possible. When you’re ready to perform or audition, you must have knowledge of the language and be convincing in your performance of it. You must also strive to be the best that you can at that given moment. You must constantly work to make your work better. This is very important because a lot of people that I’ve seen aren’t ready when an opportunity is presented to them. As a result of not getting the job, they are anxious to cry foul play or that they are being discriminated against. If you are not ready and not of a high calibre, in all respects, then you leave open doors for people to disqualify you. You must have the complete package. If you do, then the odds of someone not liking you based on your appearance diminish immensely.
M.F.: In your opinion, are there other ways to go about having a career in opera aside from the apprenticeship route?
V.C.: Yes, I do think that there are other ways. I’ve had a lot of friends who have gone to Europe to start their careers. I think that if you go into a program such as the Young Artist program at the Metropolitan Opera, Santa Fé Opera, Chicago Lyric Opera, or Houston Grand Opera, then you will have the benefit of being surrounded by professionals. You will be able to listen to some top notch singers, work with professional vocal coaches, and hone your stagecraft skills. If you go the European route, you do the audition for an opera house, get the job, and are thrown directly into the lion’s den. You learn quickly which repertoire is for your voice and gain an understanding for languages, through hard knocks.
M.F.: Did you have any African-American operatic tenor heroes or role models?
V.C.: The problem with me is that I started singing when I was nine years old. I was in my first opera at 10 years of age as a boy soprano (Amahl and the Night Visitors, Menotti). I simply listened to opera. I didn’t think about color at that time. Later on in life I became aware of the career of Roland Hayes and what he had to go through in order to have a career, even though it was only a concert career. Nevertheless it was an important breakthrough. As far as operatic tenors are concerned, I just listened to whomever I could. There wasn’t any one person. I do remember hearing about George Shirley when I was in high school. I also remember buying the Così fan tutte recording he made with Leontyne Price. As a matter of fact, I was an apprentice in Santa Fé when he was there, so I was able to get to know him at that time. But I was the kind of person who was determined to do what I wanted to do. I went about doing it quietly, persistently, and knowing that if I kept working then I would reap the benefits.
