Taylor J.
White
Schedule
Upcoming Engagements
Description
It’s been 50 years since HGO first presented the Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess, restoring the “folk opera” to its creators’ full original vision in a landmark production that earned HGO both a Tony and a Grammy. Now, audiences have the chance to again experience the cherished American classic that set HGO on its path as a trailblazer, presented in an acclaimed production from director Francesca Zambello.
Set in the Jim Crow South, in the fictional Charleston slum of Catfish Row, the opera shares the story of Porgy, a disabled beggar, and Bess, a woman struggling with addiction, who fall in love. With a moving score that seamlessly blends jazz, spirituals, blues, and classical music into timeless songs like “Summertime” and “Bess, You Is My Woman Now,” Porgy and Bess offers an unforgettable portrayal of resilience, community, love, and hope against all odds. HGO’s production features a cast of opera giants, led by bass-baritone Michael Sumuel as Porgy and soprano Angel Blue as Bess.
Internationally acclaimed conductor James Gaffigan takes the podium, with Richard Bado conducting the Nov. 11, 13, and 15 performances.
Taylor J. White
Performer
Dates
LaTetra Lewis
Performer
Dates
Tags
Description
Join OperaCréole for an unforgettable and never before experienced Créole Christmas, as we present the Christmas cantata The Ballad of the Brown King, composed by Margaret Bonds with text by Langston Hughes.
Taylor J. White
Performer
Dates
Biography
American soprano Taylor J. White began her music career in jazz and Mississippi blues, performing as a featured soloist at the 2018 and 2020 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festivals in jazz and gospel. Her resume also includes performances with New Stage Theatre and Fondren Theatre Workshop in Jackson, MS where she performed the roles of Gary Coleman in Avenue Q, Magenta in The Rocky Horror Show, and a Dynamite in Hairspray.
Upon entering college, White made the transition from popular music to classical and has since studied and performed several operatic roles. These roles include Nella in Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi. And Barcarolle in The Bremen Town Musicians.
In 2020, White graduated from Xavier University of Louisiana with a Bachelor of Arts in Music and a minor in Sales & marketing. She received the St. Cecilia Music Award for outstanding musicianship displayed by a graduating senior. In 2022, White earned her Master of Music in Vocal Performance from Loyola University New Orleans. While studying there, White received a number of awards including funds from the Charles Anthony Caruso Professorship of Opera and the Frohnmayer Legacy Fund and recognition as the Outstanding Graduate Vocal Student for the class of 2022.
Following graduate school, Taylor participated in the International Performing Arts Institute, a young artist program in Bavaria, Germany. Upon her return to the states, White was featured as a soloist with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra for their Classical Christmas concert. White made her Mobile Opera debut as Jo in Let Freedom Sing: The Story of Marian Anderson. This dedication to African American stories within the operatic world continues to be a hallmark of Taylor's career.
White shares Leontyne Price’s fervor for promoting living composers. In 2020, she premiered the role of Rose in a workshop of Roger Dickerson's musical, Preacher Man! Preacher Man! The onset of Covid-19 and encouragement from her voice instructor inspired White to dive into the world of 21st century music. She partnered with composer Dr. Maria Thompson Corley to create To Meditate in His Temple, a song cycle set to Biblical texts that were a comfort to White during the pandemic. Since its world premiere in October of 2021, White has continued to perform the cycle in hopes that it will serve as a source of peace and comfort to those still struggling in the wake of a global crisis.
Further expanding her repertoire, White is a member of OperaCréole, a New Orleans opera company whose mission is to research and stage little-known classical and operatic works by composers of African descent, particularly those from New Orleans. In January of 2025, Taylor sang the role of Amine in the world premiere preview of Morgaine by Edmond Dédé with OperaCréole and Opera Lafayette. In her spare time, White continues to propel the names Black composers to the forefront of the classical music industry through her interactive concert series, Voices Reclaimed.
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