Rochester, NY – Opera legend and former Rochesterian William Warfield will return to his alma mater, the Eastman School of Music, later this month to address the School’s graduating class of 2001. The annual diploma ceremony for undergraduates and master’s students begins at 11:15 a.m., Sunday, May 20, in the Eastman Theatre, 60 Gibbs St. (Commencement exercises for doctoral degree recipients will occur Saturday, May 19.)
The ceremony also will feature performances by the Eastman Horn Choir and the senior horn class, as well as remarks from the senior class president, Zoe Elizabeth Johnstone. This year, 169 undergraduate and graduate students will receive degrees from Eastman.
"It’s an honor to have one of our most distinguished alumni address this year’s graduates," said James Undercofler, director and dean of Eastman. "William Warfield is one of the greatest artists of our time and a tremendous example of one who has pushed the boundaries of the musical profession."
In a career spanning six decades, Warfield – who earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Eastman in the 1940s and also attended Rochester city schools – has performed all over the world on the concert stage, in movies, and on television. Perhaps best known for his portrayals of Porgy in Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess and of Joe, the dock hand, in the movie Showboat, he won a Grammy Award for his narration of Aaron Copland’s A Lincoln Portrait accompanied by the Eastman Philharmonia. His autobiography, William Warfield: My Music and My Life was published in 1992. Last year, in honor of Warfield’s 80th birthday, the Eastman School and the Rochester City School District renamed their music education partnership after him. The William Warfield Partnership is designed to provide expanded musical education and opportunity for city youth.
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Note to editors: A photo of William Warfield is available electronically.