Vern Sutton (born April 8, 1938) is an American

opera Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a librett ...

tic

tenor A tenor is a type of classical music, classical male singing human voice, voice whose vocal range lies between the countertenor and baritone voice types. It is the highest male chest voice type. The tenor's vocal range extends up to C5. The lo ...

, opera director, and academic. A founding member of the

Minnesota Opera Minnesota Opera is a performance organization based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It was founded as the Center Opera Company in 1963 by the Walker Art Center, and is known for premiering such diverse works as ''Where the Wild Things Are'' by Oliver ...

, he has created roles in the world premieres of several contemporary operas with that company; including works composed for his voice by

Dominick Argento Dominick Argento (October 27, 1927 – February 20, 2019) was an American composer known for his lyric operatic and choral music. Among his best known pieces are the operas '' Postcard from Morocco'', '' Miss Havisham's Fire'', ''The Masque of An ...

, Libby Larsen, Eric Stokes,

Conrad Susa Conrad Stephen Susa (April 26, 1935 – November 21, 2013) was an American composer. Born in Springdale, Pennsylvania, Susa studied at the Carnegie Institute of Technology and the Juilliard School, where his teachers included William Bergsma, Vin ...

, and Robert Ward. He was also a regularly featured singer on

Garrison Keillor Gary Edward "Garrison" Keillor (; born August 7, 1942) is an American author, singer, humorist, voice actor, and radio personality. He created the Minnesota Public Radio (MPR) show ''A Prairie Home Companion'' (called ''Garrison Keillor's Radio ...

's ''

A Prairie Home Companion ''A Prairie Home Companion'' is a weekly radio variety show created and hosted by Garrison Keillor that aired live from 1974 to 2016. In 2016, musician Chris Thile took over as host, and the successor show was eventually renamed ''Live from He ...

'' for three decades, beginning with its first broadcast in 1974. From 2002 to 2005, he was director of

Opera in the Ozarks at Inspiration Point Opera in the Ozarks at Inspiration Point is an annual summer opera festival and opera training program in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. Founded in 1950 by Henry Hobart and Gertrude Stockard, the festival serves as a training ground for young opera profe ...

. For 36 years, he taught on the voice faculty; further, for 30 years, he directed the opera program of the music school at the

University of Minnesota The University of Minnesota, formally the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, (UMN Twin Cities, the U of M, or Minnesota) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul, Tw ...

Education and career

Raised in

Oklahoma City Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, it ranks 20th among United States cities in population, a ...

, Sutton earned a Bachelor of Music degree from

Austin College Austin College is a private liberal arts college affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA) and located in Sherman, Texas.University of Minnesota The University of Minnesota, formally the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, (UMN Twin Cities, the U of M, or Minnesota) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul, Tw ...

(UM) where he earned both a M.A. in Music and Doctorate of Music. At the UM he studied voice with Roy Schuessler, and later studied singing at the

Rome Opera House The Teatro dell'Opera di Roma (Rome Opera House) is an opera house in Rome, Italy. Originally opened in November 1880 as the 2,212 seat ''Costanzi Theatre'', it has undergone several changes of name as well modifications and improvements. The pre ...

with

Luigi Ricci Luigi Ricci may refer to: * Luigi Ricci (composer) (1805–1859), Italian composer * Luigi Ricci (vocal coach) Luigi Ricci (1893–1981) was an Italian assistant conductor, accompanist, vocal coach, and author. Career Ricci began studying music ...

through a

Fulbright scholarship The Fulbright Program, including the Fulbright–Hays Program, is one of several United States Cultural Exchange Programs with the goal of improving intercultural relations, cultural diplomacy, and intercultural competence between the people of ...

in 1966–1967. While a student at the UM, Sutton created the role of the Lord in the world premiere of Argento's ''

Christopher Sly Christopher Sly is a minor character in William Shakespeare's ''The Taming of the Shrew.'' He is a drunk man who is easily dominated by women, set up as a Foil (literature), foil to Petruchio, the central male character in the play. Role ''The T ...

'' at the Scott Hall Theater on 31 May 1963. That same year he began performing with the newly formed Minnesota Opera. His performances with the company have included roles in several world premieres, including Argento's ''The Masque of Angels'' (1964), Argento's ''The Revelation of Saint John the Divine'' (1967), Argento's ''

Postcard from Morocco ''Postcard from Morocco'' is an opera in one act composed by Dominick Argento and libretto written by John Donahue that was commissioned by the Center Opera Company (now the Minnesota Opera). It is based on ''A Child's Garden of Verses'' by Robert ...

'' (1971), Susa's '' Transformations'' (1973), Susa's ''Black River'' (1975), Argento's ''The Voyage of Edgar Allan Poe'' (1976), Argento's ''Water Bird Talk'' (1977), Hiram Titus' ''Rosina'' (1978), Ward's ''Hedda Gabler'' (1978), Stokes' ''The Jealous Cellist'' (1979),

Lars Johan Werle Lars Johan Werle (23 June 1926 – 3 August 2001) was a Swedish modernist composer. Life and career Werle was born in Gävle, Sweden, and taught himself how to compose, before going on to study musicology at the University of Uppsala from 1 ...

's ''Animalen'' (1985), and Argento's ''

Casanova's Homecoming ''Casanova's Homecoming'' is an opera in three acts by Dominick Argento to an English libretto by the composer, based in part on Giacomo Casanova's memoirs. It was first performed by the Minnesota Opera in Saint Paul, Minnesota in 1985. The ope ...

'' (1985) among others. Sutton also performed as a guest artist with several American opera companies. In 1971 he made his debut at the

San Francisco Spring Opera San Francisco Opera (SFO) is an American opera company founded in 1923 by Gaetano Merola (1881–1953) based in San Francisco, California. History Gaetano Merola (1923–1953) Merola's road to prominence in the Bay Area began in 1906 when he ...

in the title role '' aust Counter Faust'. He returned their in 1973 to sing Mr. Owen in ''Postcard from Morocco''. Other companies he has performed leading roles with include the

Houston Grand Opera Houston Grand Opera (HGO) is an American opera company located in Houston, Texas. Founded in 1955 by German-born impresario Walter Herbert and three local Houstonians,Giesberg, Robert I., Carl Cunningham, and Alan Rich. ''Houston Grand Opera at ...

and the

Lyric Opera of Kansas City Lyric Opera of Kansas City is an American opera company located in Kansas City, Missouri. Founded in 1958 by conductor Russell Patterson, the company presents an annual season of four operas at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. Produc ...

. In 1967 Sutton joined the voice faculty of the University of Minnesota where he served as the long time director of the opera program until his retirement in 2003. During this time he also served as the director of the music school from 1991 to 1998.

Recordings

's ''

''; Orchestra and Chorus of the Minnesota Opera; Philip Brunelle, conductor ( Desto Records, 1972) *

Benjamin Britten Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten (22 November 1913 – 4 December 1976, aged 63) was an English composer, conductor, and pianist. He was a central figure of 20th-century British music, with a range of works including opera, other ...

's '' Paul Bunyan''; Orchestra and Chorus of the Plymouth Music Series; Philip Brunelle, conductor ( Virgin Classics, 1987) * Aaron Copland's '' The Tender Land''; Orchestra and Chorus of the Plymouth Music Series; Philip Brunelle, conductor ( Virgin Classics, 1990)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sutton, Vern 1938 births Living people American operatic tenors Austin College alumni Musicians from Oklahoma City University of Minnesota College of Liberal Arts alumni University of Minnesota faculty