The dark side of Samuel Ramey

Young Chang

Samuel Ramey admits that he’s always been drawn to sinister operatic

roles because they’re so much fun to play.

He’s definitely got the low, bass-baritone voice. He’s got the

intense, dark eyes and most importantly, he understands that even

devilish characters have many layers -- that they can be interesting and

funny and charming yet evil.

But the Kansas native is also known for his versatility, which allows

him to perform just about any role -- good guy, bad guy and characters in

between.

Ramey will bring his varied repertoire Sunday to the Orange County

Performing Arts Center in a concert co-presented with Opera Pacific. His

program includes arias by Handel, a second group of arias he calls his

“devil arias,” American songs composed by Aaron Copeland, a set of music

by Charles Ives and a final group of songs by George Gershwin and Cole

Porter.

Ramey started out singing in church choirs as a boy in Colby, Kansas.

He didn’t know what opera was, being from a small town and such, until he

studied music at Kansas State and and Wichita State universities.

The works of noted Italian bass Ezio Pinza was one of the first

operatic voices he heard.

“I never saw him live -- he sang in the ‘20s and ‘30s and ‘40s -- but

I have many recordings of his and his voice was a great influence on me

when I was first beginning,” said Ramey, who was inspired by several

other opera legends including American bass Norman Treigle.

Following the path of many stage stars, the 60-year-old moved to New

York after graduating college.

His credits now include the roles of Argante in Handel’s “Rinaldo,”

the principal role in Bartok’s “Bluebeard’s Castle,” the title role in

Mozart’s “Don Giovanni,” Olin Blitch in Carlisle Floyd’s “Susannah,” King

Philip II in Verdi’s “Don Carlos,” several times the devil in Gounod’s

“Faust,” Boito’s “Mefistofele” and Berlioz’ “La Damnation de Faust” and

the ultimate villain in Offenbach’s “Les Contes d’Hoffmann.”

“I don’t really have a favorite opera, but if I was forced to choose,

‘Mefistofele’ and Gounod’s ‘Faust’ would probably be my favorite,” Ramey

said.

When it comes to what makes him happiest while singing, the performer

said it’s the feeling you get when an audience responds.

“It’s nothing you can really put your finger on,” said Ramey, who is

also one of the most recorded bass vocalists with 80-plus recordings.

“But it’s just a feeling you get.”

FYI

* What: Samuel Ramey

* When: 2 p.m. Sunday

* Where: Orange County Performing Arts Center, 600 Town Center Drive,

Costa Mesa

* Cost: $25-$90

* Call: (800) 346-7372