Simon Estes, 82, on What It Took To Make It as a Pioneering Black Opera Singer
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
“Hearst Magazines and Verizon Media may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below.”
Interview by Kayla James
This article was originally published with Hearst Television. Click here to see the video.
Simon Estes is an internationally acclaimed opera singer.
The 82-year-old was born and raised in Centerville, Iowa. Estes can still recall the early racism he experienced in Southern Iowa.
Kayla James, of station KCCI, spoke with Estes as he shared his hope for future generations.
He said he felt it throughout most of his life. He grew to fame during the civil rights movement.
But even after, he said it was hard to perform in U.S. opera houses due to his race.
“In the mid-70s, I called my mother. I was crying and I said, ‘They won’t let me sing at the Met. They won’t let me sing at a lot of opera houses,’” Estes remembered as he recalled how U.S. theaters wouldn’t allow him to perform because of his skin color. “My mother said, ‘Now, son. You just get down on your knees and pray.’”
Getting down on his knees to pray is an action he said he continues to do to this day. It’s how his mother taught him to deal with any celebratory moments, as well as any trials and tribulations that came his way. Growing up in Centerville, Iowa, and beyond before the civil rights movement, many of those trials and tribulations came in the form of racism.
Estes is an internationally acclaimed bass-baritone opera singer. He’s a graduate from the University of Iowa, as well as the Juilliard School of Music. He’s currently a visiting professor at Iowa State University and Des Moines Area Community College, but before then, Estes performed in front of global leaders and taught as a professor at universities across the world. However, for years, he found it hard to perform in the United States due to the color of his skin.
“I’ve lived in Europe more than I have in the United States because I started singing in 1965,” Estes said. “I’m not saying there’s no discrimination in Europe—there was. But the people there judged me like Martin Luther King Jr. said: on my character and on my talent, and not on my skin color.”
When Estes was finally able to perform throughout the U.S., he said he remembers still facing discrimination. One account he recalls took place in San Francisco, where he saw the difference in pay.
“They were probably paid $15,000 to $28,000 a performance for singing the lead roles as tenors. They paid me $257 a performance,” Estes said.
Despite what he faced, Estes said he persevered.
Throughout his career, Estes has performed in front of several presidents. He has taken on over 100 roles in different opera houses across the world. Estes sang for Nelson Mandela in 1990.
His illustrious career has allowed him to perform in six of the world’s seven continents, to receive numerous awards, and, in 2020, to be named to the inaugural class of the Opera Hall of Fame in Opera America.
His time at the home of Coretta Scott King and her children is a fond memory Estes said he holds to this day.
It took him back to a time during the civil rights movement as he watched Martin Luther King Jr. help lead the effort to bring about equality.
“I remember when Martin Luther King gave his great speech. Actually, I heard him speak in person when I was at the University of Iowa,” Estes said. “Martin was somebody who really inspired me to treat hatred with love.”
As someone who lived through the civil rights movement, Estes said seeing the killing of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and others made 2020 a tough year.
“I said to my wife, ‘I’m tired,’” Estes said. “I’m just tired. They say we don’t have any discrimination in America. It does still exist. The only way I think that we’re going to reduce discrimination in the United States is parents need to start teaching their children at a very young age.”
Now a renowned opera singer and professor, Estes said he knows how much can change. It’s why he has hope in the current generation who marched and called for change after the killing of George Floyd and for the generations that will follow.
“You can only drive out hate with love, so my suggestion is, ‘Let’s give love a chance,’” he said.
Turn Inspiration to Action
Consider donating to the National Association of Black Journalists. You can direct your dollars to scholarships and fellowships that support the educational and professional development of aspiring young journalists.
Support The National Caucus & Center on Black Aging. Dedicated to improving the quality of life of older African Americans, NCCBA's educational programs arm them with the tools they need to advocate for themselves.
This story was created as part of Lift Every Voice, in partnership with Lexus. Lift Every Voice records the wisdom and life experiences of the oldest generation of Black Americans by connecting them with a new generation of Black journalists. The oral history series is running across Hearst magazine, newspaper, and television websites around Juneteenth 2021. Go to oprahdaily.com/lifteveryvoice for the complete portfolio.
You Might Also Like
