Sir Willard White and his interlocutor (Photo: Joseph Bartning)

Sir Willard White is a leading singer, a basso. He is also a veteran singer. According to the calendar, he is 71. His appearance tells a different story. He looks like an athlete, somewhere in his 50s, maybe. In any event, he was a guest of the Salzburg Festival Society on Monday. We traversed a number of subjects. To hear the interview, go here.


We talk about his growing up in Jamaica. About going to the Juilliard School, a far cry from Jamaica (especially rural Jamaica). About teaching from Maria Callas. About the sting of racism. About music and life generally. Sir Willard is as good a talker as he is a singer. He does a little singing in this conversation, too — “Love Me Tender,” for example. And “Smile.”

You know who wrote “Smile”? Charlie Chaplin. He wrote the music. Awfully talented little guy. Terrible red. WFB had an encounter with him once, in Switzerland. Wish he were here to tell the story. Anyway, enjoy Sir Willard, as I bet you will.

P.S. My latest Jaywalking podcast is here. I offer some politics, some culture — the usual. Assists come from Verdi, Kreisler, Castelnuovo-Tedesco, and Burt Bacharach (yup). (Think Butch Cassidy.)