Juilliard rejected me twice. But Domingo believed in me
mainThe soprano Angel Blue has a busy international career and a promising future.
But she was almost stopped in her tracks by two rejection slips from Juilliard. What kept her going was the support of the music department at UCLA and the chance to sing for Placido Domingo, who chose her for Operalia.
‘I was thankful for the opportunity to sing for (Domingo),’ Blue tells her alumnus magazine. ‘It was a sign from God for me, as ‘This is what you’re supposed to be doing.’’
photo: Sonya Garza
Read full interview here.
Juilliard is not the be-all and end-all. There are many, many wonderful (and successful) musicians who didn’t go there.
True. Even I didn’t go there.
It’s the teachers who will either make or break you — not the school. Certainly Juilliard’s string department has consistently offered top-level instruction, but the training in the other departments has traditionally ranged from mediocre to poor.
Juilliard’s drams dept. is quite good. Its graduates populate film, TV and the stage.
Angel Blue IS the new Eunice Waymon!
So, Placido has a new “protegee”. Mmm, Pavarotti used to have them too!!
“… a sign of God…”
Oh puleaaaaase !!! In the 21st century ??? for gods’ sake !