17 Facts About Mac Morgan

Mac Morgan was an American bass-baritone who had an active performance career in concerts and operas from the early 1940s until the mid-1970s.

Mac Morgan's family attended the Main Street Baptist Church in Jacksonville, and it was there that he had his earliest singing experiences, both as a choir member and soloist.

Mac Morgan graduated with a Bachelor of Music degree from Eastman in 1940.

Neilly and Mac Morgan married in 1941, and remained married until Mac Morgan's death 66 years later.

Mac Morgan spent the majority of his time in the army working in the latter country as a full-time singer; performing in major cities throughout the continent.

Mac Morgan then was offered his own weekly show by NBC Radio, Highways in Melody, with Lavalle serving as music director and his orchestra accompanying.

Mac Morgan commuted into NYC for performances on the show every Friday night at 8:00 at the pay of $130 a week.

Mac Morgan toured with the program for performances in Cleveland, Indianapolis, and Philadelphia among other American cities.

Mac Morgan was frequently heard at the Tanglewood Music Festival, making his debut there in 1950 as Don Anchise in Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's La finta giardiniera with Ray Smolover as Count Belfiore, Julian Patrick as Roberto, Marni Nixon as Serpetta, and Sarah Caldwell conducting.

In 1951 Mac Morgan sang two roles with the New York City Opera: Pantalone in The Love for Three Oranges and Silvio in Pagliacci.

Mac Morgan was heard in succeeding years with that company as Figaro in The Barber of Seville, Podesta, the title role in Don Pasquale, and Guglielmo in Cosi fan tutte.

Mac Morgan sang the role of Sharpless in Giacomo Puccini's Madama Butterfly with the Opera Guild of Greater Miami in 1953 with Licia Albanese in the title role.

In November 1955 Mac Morgan celebrated the 200th anniversary of Mozart's birth singing Guglielmo in Cosi fan tutte with the San Antonio Symphony; reprising the role the following year in concert with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and in a fully staged production that toured the United States.

Mac Morgan performed in another opera broadcast for NBC in 1961, the premiere of Leonard Kastle's Deseret.

In 1962 Mac Morgan sang Jochanaan in Richard Strauss' Salome with Thomas Schippers conducting the Montreal Symphony Orchestra.

Mac Morgan began his teaching career in Boston during the early 1960s at the New England Conservatory.

Mac Morgan lived in retirement in Carrollton, Georgia where he died of complications of an appendectomy at the age of 89.