# Mac Morgan
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{{Short description|American bass-baritone}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2013}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Mac Morgan
| image = Mac Morgan.jpg
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1917|6|27}}
| birth_place = [Texarkana, Texas](/source/Texarkana%2C_Texas), U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|2007|6|12|1917|6|27|mf=yes}}
| death_place = [Carrollton, Georgia](/source/Carrollton%2C_Georgia), U.S.
| education = [Eastman School of Music](/source/Eastman_School_of_Music)
| occupation = [Bass-baritone](/source/Bass-baritone)
}}
'''Mac Morgan''' (June 25, 1917 – June 12, 2007) was an American [bass-baritone](/source/bass-baritone) who had an active performance career in concerts and [opera](/source/opera)s from the early 1940s until the mid-1970s. ''[The Boston Globe](/source/The_Boston_Globe)'' described him as a singer "known for his rich tone and enviable diction". After retiring from the stage, he embarked on a second successful career as a [voice teacher](/source/voice_teacher).[{{cite web|url=https://archive.boston.com/news/globe/obituaries/articles/2007/06/22/mac_morgan_89_bass_baritone_known_for_his_tone_diction/|title=Mac Morgan, 89; bass-baritone known for his tone, diction|date=June 22, 2007|author=[Bryan Marquard](/source/Bryan_Marquard)|work=[The Boston Globe](/source/The_Boston_Globe)}}]
==Early life and education==
Born in [Texarkana, Texas](/source/Texarkana%2C_Texas), Morgan moved with his family to [Jacksonville, Florida](/source/Jacksonville%2C_Florida) at the age of 9. His father was a lease-inspector for federal buildings. His family attended the Main Street Baptist Church in Jacksonville, and it was there that he had his earliest [singing](/source/singing) experiences, both as a choir member and soloist. While in middle school he began playing the [trombone](/source/trombone), and at the age of 16 he began taking voice lessons. After finishing high school in Jackson, he entered the [Eastman School of Music](/source/Eastman_School_of_Music) in 1936 on the advice of noted baritone [John Charles Thomas](/source/John_Charles_Thomas). He graduated with a [Bachelor of Music](/source/Bachelor_of_Music) degree from Eastman in 1940. His voice teacher at Eastman, Arthur Craft, arranged for him to practice with the accompanist Helen Neilly.[{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=C7olAAAAIBAJ&sjid=CfMFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5703,1533530&dq=mac-morgan&hl=en|title=Mac Morgan to Sing Here on Wednesday|work=[The Gettysburg Times](/source/The_Gettysburg_Times)|date=December 2, 1946}}] Neilly and Morgan married in 1941, and remained married until Morgan's death 66 years later. The couple had three daughters together.[{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/20/obituaries/20morgan.html|title=Mac Morgan, 89, Bass-Baritone Who Went on to Teach Voice, Dies|work=[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)|date=June 20, 2007}}]
==Early singing career==
After his marriage, Morgan moved with his wife to New York City where he was soon signed with a talent manager. While performing on his first concert tour in 1942, he was drafted into the [United States Army](/source/United_States_Army) . He spent the next 3{{fraction|1|2}} years in military service during [World War II](/source/World_War_II) in the South Pacific and Australia. He spent the majority of his time in the army working in the latter country as a full-time singer; performing in major cities throughout the continent.[{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Mi0aAAAAIBAJ&sjid=8iMEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2869,2544499&dq=mac-morgan&hl=en|title=Vest Pocket Biography|work=[The Milwaukee Journal](/source/The_Milwaukee_Journal)|date=December 4, 1946}}] He then was offered his own weekly show by [NBC Radio](/source/NBC_Radio), ''[Highways in Melody](/source/Highways_in_Melody)'', with Lavalle serving as music director and his orchestra accompanying. He commuted into NYC for performances on the show every Friday night at 8:00 at the pay of $130 a week.[{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=jNAuAAAAIBAJ&sjid=8y0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=4274,5582652&dq=mac-morgan&hl=en|title=Mac Morgan Marks 1st Anniversary as Highway Singer|work=The Coaticook Observer|date= October 24, 1947}}] In 1948 he performed selections from [Jules Massenet](/source/Jules_Massenet)'s ''[Hérodiade](/source/H%C3%A9rodiade)'' and [Victor Herbert](/source/Victor_Herbert)'s ''[Eileen](/source/Eileen_(musical))'' with soprano [Vivian Della Chiesa](/source/Vivian_Della_Chiesa) and Lavalle conducting the [New York Philharmonic](/source/New_York_Philharmonic).[{{cite web|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1948/06/28/96595482.pdf|title=Lavalle Conducts Stadium Concert; Miss Della Chiesa and Morgan, Soloists, Are Well Received by Audience of 9,500|author=[Noel Straus](/source/Noel_Straus)|work=[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)|date=June 28, 1948}}]
In the early 1950s Morgan and his family moved to [Stockbridge, Massachusetts](/source/Stockbridge%2C_Massachusetts), and there he befriended the artist [Norman Rockwell](/source/Norman_Rockwell) who did a charcoal drawing of Morgan which the singer used in publicity material. After moving to Massachusetts, he became a regular performer with the [Boston Symphony Orchestra](/source/Boston_Symphony_Orchestra). With the BSO he performed under conductor [Leonard Bernstein](/source/Leonard_Bernstein) on several occasions, including 1955 performances of [Ludwig van Beethoven](/source/Ludwig_van_Beethoven)'s ''[Missa Solemnis](/source/Missa_Solemnis_(Beethoven))'' and Beethoven's ''[Fidelio](/source/Fidelio)'' (as Rocco).[{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1955/08/06/archives/music-missa-solemnis-vigorous-performance-is-led-by-bernstein.html|title=Music: 'Missa Solemnis'; Vigorous Performance Is Led by Bernstein|work=[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)|date=August 6, 1955}}] Other engagements with major symphony orchestras soon followed, including performances with conductors [Charles Munch](/source/Charles_Munch_(conductor)), [Erich Leinsdorf](/source/Erich_Leinsdorf), and [Seiji Ozawa](/source/Seiji_Ozawa). He was also frequently heard at the [Tanglewood Music Festival](/source/Tanglewood_Music_Festival), making his debut there in 1950 as Don Anchise in [Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart](/source/Wolfgang_Amadeus_Mozart)'s ''[La finta giardiniera](/source/La_finta_giardiniera)'' with [Ray Smolover](/source/Ray_Smolover) as Count Belfiore, [Julian Patrick](/source/Julian_Patrick) as Roberto, [Marni Nixon](/source/Marni_Nixon) as Serpetta, and [Sarah Caldwell](/source/Sarah_Caldwell) conducting.["Mozart Opera Tonight At Berkshire Center", ''[The Hartford Courant](/source/The_Hartford_Courant)'', July 25, 1950]
In 1951 Morgan sang two roles with the [New York City Opera](/source/New_York_City_Opera): Pantalone in ''[The Love for Three Oranges](/source/The_Love_for_Three_Oranges)'' and Silvio in ''[Pagliacci](/source/Pagliacci)''. Also that year he sang the role of Leporello in Mozart's ''[Don Giovanni](/source/Don_Giovanni)'' with [Boris Goldovsky](/source/Boris_Goldovsky)'s [New England Opera Theater](/source/New_England_Opera_Theater).["Goldovsky To Conduct 'Giovanni'", ''[Christian Science Monitor](/source/Christian_Science_Monitor)'', January 5, 1951] He was heard in succeeding years with that company as Figaro in ''[The Barber of Seville](/source/The_Barber_of_Seville)'' (1952–1954["On the Boston Film Horizon", ''Christian Science Monitor'', November 12, 1952]), Podesta (1953), the title role in ''[Don Pasquale](/source/Don_Pasquale)'' (1955), and Guglielmo in ''[Così fan tutte](/source/Cos%C3%AC_fan_tutte)'' (1956). He sang the role of Sharpless in [Giacomo Puccini](/source/Giacomo_Puccini)'s ''[Madama Butterfly](/source/Madama_Butterfly)'' with the [Opera Guild of Greater Miami](/source/Opera_Guild_of_Greater_Miami) in 1953 with [Licia Albanese](/source/Licia_Albanese) in the title role.[{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=qpYzAAAAIBAJ&sjid=4uoFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2569,634577&dq=mac-morgan&hl=en|title=Butterfly And Trovatore' To Be Offered Opera Lovers|work=[The Miami News](/source/The_Miami_News)|date=October 11, 1953}}]
==Later singing career==
In November 1955 Morgan celebrated the 200th anniversary of Mozart's birth singing Guglielmo in ''[Così fan tutte](/source/Cos%C3%AC_fan_tutte)'' with the [San Antonio Symphony](/source/San_Antonio_Symphony);[{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=MjQhAAAAIBAJ&sjid=11oEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7215,2915340&dq=mac-morgan&hl=en|title=Mozart Opera Offered in San Antonio|work=[The Victoria Advocate](/source/The_Victoria_Advocate)|date=November 27, 1955}}] reprising the role the following year in concert with the [Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra](/source/Pittsburgh_Symphony_Orchestra)[{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=jTAbAAAAIBAJ&sjid=600EAAAAIBAJ&pg=5974,4426659&dq=mac-morgan&hl=en|title=Baritone Calls 'Cosi' Democratic|work=[The Pittsburgh Press](/source/The_Pittsburgh_Press)|date=April 14, 1956}}] and in a fully staged production that toured the United States. The touring cast notably included [Phyllis Curtin](/source/Phyllis_Curtin) as Fiordiligi and [David Lloyd](/source/David_Lloyd_(tenor)) as Ferrando.[{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1956/06/10/archives/sextet-has-fun-on-us-tour-wiht-cosi.html|title=Sextet Has Fun On US Tour with 'Cosi'|work=[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)|date=June 10, 1956|author=Gene Cook}}] In 1958 he performed Guglielmo on a television broadcast of the opera made by the [NBC Opera Theatre](/source/NBC_Opera_Theatre) with [John Alexander](/source/John_Alexander_(tenor)) as Ferrando and [Frances Bible](/source/Frances_Bible) as Dorabella. He had previously toured the United States with the NBC Opera Theatre in 1957–1958, singing Figaro in Mozart's ''[The Marriage of Figaro](/source/The_Marriage_of_Figaro)'' with [Peter Herman Adler](/source/Peter_Herman_Adler) conducting.["NBC Opera Heard Here In 'Figaro'", ''[The Hartford Courant](/source/The_Hartford_Courant)'', December 2, 1957] He performed in another opera broadcast for NBC in 1961, the premiere of [Leonard Kastle](/source/Leonard_Kastle)'s ''[Deseret](/source/Deseret_(opera))''. In April 1958 he gave a highly successful New York City recital debut at [Town Hall](/source/The_Town_Hall_(New_York_City)) with [Paul Ulanowsky](/source/Paul_Ulanowsky) serving as his accompanist.[{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1958/04/14/archives/music-a-debut-recital-mac-morgan-baritone-delights-town-hall.html|title=Music: A Debut Recital; Mac Morgan, Baritone, Delights Town Hall Audience in Song Program|work=[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)|date=April 14, 1958|author=John Briggs}}] In 1959 he performed in the United States premiere of [Offenbach's](/source/Jacques_Offenbach) ''[Le Voyage dans la Lune](/source/Le_voyage_dans_la_lune_(operetta))'' with the [Opera Company of Boston](/source/Opera_Company_of_Boston).[{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=REMxAAAAIBAJ&sjid=5w8EAAAAIBAJ&pg=2846,2186414&dq=mac-morgan&hl=en|title=Boston Opera To Do 'Voyage'|work=[The Milwaukee Sentinel](/source/The_Milwaukee_Sentinel)|date=December 24, 1959}}] That same year he recorded [Igor Stravinsky](/source/Igor_Stravinsky)'s [''Threni''](/source/Threni_(Stravinsky)) for [Columbia Records](/source/Columbia_Records).[{{cite web|url=https://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FA0D12F73E5F1A7B93C2AB1782D85F4D8585F9|title=RECORDS: 'THRENT'; Recent Stravinsky Work Is Composed Entirely in Twelve-Tone Idiom |date=September 20, 1959|author=[Eric Salzman](/source/Eric_Salzman)|work=[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)}}]
In 1962 Morgan sang Jochanaan in [Richard Strauss](/source/Richard_Strauss)' ''[Salome](/source/Salome_(opera))'' with [Thomas Schippers](/source/Thomas_Schippers) conducting the [Montreal Symphony Orchestra](/source/Montreal_Symphony_Orchestra).[{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=mJktAAAAIBAJ&sjid=CJ4FAAAAIBAJ&pg=6927,2391512&dq=mac-morgan&hl=en|last1=Archer|first1=Thomas|title=A Dish Of 'Salome' |work=[The Montreal Gazette](/source/The_Montreal_Gazette)|date=March 14, 1962}}] In 1963 he sang a duet opposite [Joan Sutherland](/source/Joan_Sutherland) on ''[The Bell Telephone Hour](/source/The_Bell_Telephone_Hour)''. On 19 January 1964 he was the bass soloist in Mozart's ''[Requiem](/source/Requiem_(Mozart))'' for the Solemn Requiem Mass honoring the death of President [John F. Kennedy](/source/John_F._Kennedy) in Boston's Cathedral of the Holy Cross,[{{cite web |url=http://www.wosu.org/blogs/classical/mozart-requiem-for-jfk-january-19-1964-boston/ |title=Mozart Requiem for JFK: January 19, 1964, Boston |accessdate=October 21, 2010 |publisher=wosu.org }}{{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}] In the mid-1960s his performance career began to slack as he began to shift towards a second career as a voice teacher. One of his last performances was as Rocco in the Opera Company of Boston's 1976 production of ''Fidelio''.