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Quiz about The Singer from Valhalla  James Morris
Quiz about The Singer from Valhalla  James Morris

The Singer from Valhalla - James Morris Quiz


Once in a while an operatic singer comes to 'own' a role... for many of us, James Morris is the quintessential Wotan. But who is this James Morris? Please rate the quiz when you are done - thanks!

A multiple-choice quiz by CariM0952. Estimated time: 4 mins.
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Author
CariM0952
Time
4 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
281,794
Updated
Jul 23 22
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
7 / 10
Plays
201
- -
Question 1 of 10
1. James Morris is a renowned opera singer. In which category does his voice fall? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. Morris was born in January 1947. Near which city did he grow up? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. James Morris studied at the Peabody Conservatory and with Nicola Moscona at the Philadephia Academy of Vocal Arts, but to which university did he obtain a music scholarship? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. James' voice was so commanding that Rosa Ponselle returned to the world of music to take charge of his vocal instruction. With his superb voice and training, he auditioned for which opera company in 1971? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. While Morris has sung 55 separate roles, he is most famous for his work in Wagner's Ring Cycle. In which role is he considered one of the leading interpreters? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. At the 46th Annual Grammy Awards, Morris was nominated for 'Best Opera Recording' for his performance in Thomas' "Desire Under the Elms".


Question 7 of 10
7. How many times has James Morris recorded Wagner's "Ring Cycle"? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. James Morris didn't just make his bones singing the role of Wotan. He is considered the leading interpreter of the title role in "Der Fliegende Holländer". Who was the composer of this opera?

Answer: (One Word)
Question 9 of 10
9. Another role with which Morris is closely associated in Scarpia. In which opera is Scarpa the villain? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. The ultimate bass baritone (IMHO) also forays into more contemporary music. What other form of music is favoured by James Morris? Hint



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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. James Morris is a renowned opera singer. In which category does his voice fall?

Answer: Bass baritone

The basic vocal ranges are soprano, mezzo-soprano, contralto, tenor, baritone and bass. There are other 'labels' which are commonly used for those who don't quite fit the exact definitions of range for the major categories. These include bass baritone (running the bulk of both ranges), basso profundo (lower than bass), and countertenor (a male voice singing in a range higher than tenor).

In Renaissance times young boys with excellent voices were sometimes, well, castrated in order to preserve them from the vicissitudes of puberty. These men were known as castrati, and held a high position in society.
2. Morris was born in January 1947. Near which city did he grow up?

Answer: Baltimore MD

James Peppler Morris grew up in the suburbs of Baltimore, the son of the vice president and general sales manager of the Koontz Creamery. As a young man he didn't plan on becoming an opera star, but preferred rock and roll. However, someone heard him sing and he was soon studying voice under a teacher associated with the Peabody Conservatory.
3. James Morris studied at the Peabody Conservatory and with Nicola Moscona at the Philadephia Academy of Vocal Arts, but to which university did he obtain a music scholarship?

Answer: University of Maryland

Nicola Moscona was born in Athens in 1907 and made his operatic debut there in 1931. In 1937 he moved to the USA and the Metropolitan Opera, where he sang in 485 performances as well as performing internationally. He began teaching at the Philadelphia Academy of Vocal Arts upon retirement from the operatic stage.
4. James' voice was so commanding that Rosa Ponselle returned to the world of music to take charge of his vocal instruction. With his superb voice and training, he auditioned for which opera company in 1971?

Answer: Metropolitan Opera

Morris was the youngest male singer to be accepted into the Metropolitan Opera. Four years after joining he was singing the title role in Mozart's Don Giovanni.

Rosa Ponselle, born in 1897, started singing in vaudeville but after being heard by the great Enrico Caruso, she was whisked away to the Metropolitan Opera, where she debuted in 1918. She retired from the stage in 1937 after receiving popular acclaim but terrible reviews of her performance. She took on coaching and training singers, including Placido Domingo and Beverly Sills. She died in 1981 at her home in Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
5. While Morris has sung 55 separate roles, he is most famous for his work in Wagner's Ring Cycle. In which role is he considered one of the leading interpreters?

Answer: Wotan

It's Wotan. The brooding head god of the Anglo-Saxon pantheon of gods seems to have been reincarnated in the person of James Morris.

Wotan was the god whose name is commemorated in the day Wednesday (Wotan's-Day). His Norse counterpart was Odin and he is also associated with Mercury (the god, not the planet or mineral).

Siegfried was the son of Siegmund, with Siegmund being the offspring of Wotan and an unnamed human woman. Fafner was a giant, who later turned into a dragon.

Don't ask me, it was just written that way...
6. At the 46th Annual Grammy Awards, Morris was nominated for 'Best Opera Recording' for his performance in Thomas' "Desire Under the Elms".

Answer: true

Based on the play by Eugene O'Neill, Edward Thomas (born in 1924) and Joe Masteroff wrote the libretto for the opera, which was first performed in 1978. The opera is about the basic love triangle, with overtones of treachery, murder and adultery. Morris sings the role of Eban Cabot, the young son who conspires to gain title to the family farm, only to find his widowed father has found a new, young wife. Eban and the new wife fall in love and have a child... I'd hate to spoil this for you, so either read the book or listen to the opera for the conclusion of the story!
7. How many times has James Morris recorded Wagner's "Ring Cycle"?

Answer: 3

On 14 October 2002 Deutsche Grammophon released a recording of the "Ring Cycle". Besides Morris, the production starred Siegfried Jerusalem, Hildegard Behrens, Heinz Zednik and Birgitta Svenden. The label had recorded the Cycle with Morris back in 1987, where he sang with Hildegard Behrens, Siegfried Jerusalem, Jessye Norman, Gary Lakes and Christa Ludwig. On both occasions the Metropolitan Opera was conducted by James Levine.

In 1988 Bernard Haitink with the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks recorded the Ring Cycle for EMI, with soloists James Morris, Eva Marton, Siegfried Jerusalem, Cheryl Studer, Reiner Goldberg and Waltraud Meier.
8. James Morris didn't just make his bones singing the role of Wotan. He is considered the leading interpreter of the title role in "Der Fliegende Holländer". Who was the composer of this opera?

Answer: Wagner

Richard Wagner was born in Leipzig, Germany, on 22 May 1813. His inspiration for "Der Fliegend Hollander" was the journey he and his wife made to England when escaping Russian creditors. His operas were distinguished by his use of the leifmotif, the assignment of a 'tune' to a character or theme. The opera premiered in Dresden in 1843.
9. Another role with which Morris is closely associated in Scarpia. In which opera is Scarpa the villain?

Answer: Tosca

Puccini's Tosca was first performed in January 1900 at the Teatro Costanzi in Rome. Essentially, it's a love triangle. Tosca loves Mario, and Scarpia loves Tosca (or at least, he wants to possess her). It's a bit more complicated than that, though, and it ends up with Scarpia dead and Tosca - well, you'll have to see the opera to find out her fate! It's worth it for the beautiful music alone.
10. The ultimate bass baritone (IMHO) also forays into more contemporary music. What other form of music is favoured by James Morris?

Answer: Broadway songs

Morris also has performed Broadway hits in his concerts. He has also taped the songs of Richard Rogers for television programmes.
Source: Author CariM0952

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor ralzzz before going online.
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