IU School of Music alumna becomes a star in New York

The world has discovered the IU School of Music's latest superstar. IU Alumna and Indianapolis native Angela M. Brown recently received rave reviews from The New York Times for her debut performance as the lead in New York City's Metropolitan Opera's production of Verdi's "Aida" Friday.\nThe article, titled "Bringing a Spirited Passion to a Youthful Debut as Aida," sings high praises of Brown's talent.\n"A young American making a Met debut in a major role that hardly anybody can sing anymore is worth a gander. And the fact that she can sing it made the night a major event," wrote New York Times reviewer Anne Midgette.\nIt is rare for a debut performance to capture the attention of The New York Times and even rarer for it to receive a positive review. Brown's performance has rocked the opera world. Brown's personal representative Janet Jarriel said Brown's performance was so significant that Brown has been contacted to do interviews today with both The New York Times and Opera News.\nJarriel said Brown's performance received an enthusiastic response from the audience.\n"The audience went absolutely wild over her. There was a line at the front of the stage during the curtain call cheering," Jarriel said. \nDistinguished Professor Virginia Zeani, Brown's vocal coach while at IU, said standing ovations at the Met are rare, and that Brown received one is impressive. Brown was so excited by the reception of her performance that she called Zeani the following morning to tell her what happened.\n"Angela is on the way to being the best singer in America," Zeani said.\nZeani said she recognized Brown's talent the first time she heard her sing. In fact, at Brown's first lesson, Zeani told her she would be a great Aida, the very role Brown is currently singing in New York.\n"I remember when she came to me 10 years ago to audition. To me, she was a splendid young voice," Zeani said. "I expected this more than five or six years ago. I knew. Sometimes you need the luck to be heard by the right ears."\nCharles Webb, dean emeritus of the School of Music, used to play piano for Brown when she sang. He said people at the School of Music are very excited about Brown's success.\n"We're thrilled that she was so successful. We thought she would be because we heard her do these arias before. To have this corroborated by major New York critics is great for her and great for the school," Webb said.\nWebb said Brown's success puts her up with other big names emanating from the School of Music, including the great violinist Joshua Bell.\n"For her to have this kind of first-class review from The New York Times is a great tribute to her musical ability and a victory for the school as well," Webb said.\nBrown has had other major triumphs in her career over the past year. Over the summer, she made her Carnegie Hall debut as Cassandra in the American premiere of Russian composer Taneyev's "Agamemnon." \n"Opera chose me. I didn't choose it," Brown told the Indiana Daily Student of her career in June.\nJarriel said Brown told her she felt blessed by her recent success.\n"She said, 'I'm just humbled by all of this.' She's very thankful, but it's very humbling. She is a person of great spiritual faith and she recognizes the fact that God has given her this gift and this opportunity," Jarriel said.\nZeani, who has had many students go on to have successful international careers, said Brown's career will take off from here and she will go on to perform at all the great capitals in the world. She said she hopes many of her other students follow in her footsteps.\n"Like a mother, I wish to all my students (that they) realize how wonderful it is to be on the middle of the stage at the Metropolitan and see the public and embrace it," Zeani said.\n-- Contact Arts Editor Jenica Schultz at jwschult@indiana.edu.