The Seasons

A Chicago native and recent alum of the Ryan Opera Center, Whitney Morrison champions the African American aesthetic in classical music, embracing a style of performance that blends classical singing with elements of gospel singing. Recent highlights include singing Louise/Betty on BMOP/Odyssey Opera’s GRAMMY-nominated 2023 recording of The Life and Times of Malcolm X; Emelda Griffith, Champion, Yasmine Miller, Proximity (world premiere), and Sister Rose, Dead Man Walking, Lyric Opera of Chicago; Ottavia, Comet Poppea, AMOC*; Lady Billows, Albert Herring and Leonie Baker, Freedom Ride, Chicago Opera Theater; and Donna Anna, Don Giovanni, Floating Opera Company. Morrison holds an M.M. from Eastman School of Music and a B.A. in vocal performance and pedagogy from Oakwood University. She trained at the Georg Solti Accademia di Bel Canto in Italy and the Neil Semer Vocal Institute, and was a 2020 National Semifinalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. Other accolades include first place in the National Classical Singer University Competition, finalist in the Luminarts Classical Music Competition, and a She Shines Award from Girls Inc. of Chicago. Morrison attributes her love of classical music to her upbringing in the church. In her youth, she reveled in the diverse music and charismatic culture of the black church where her grandfather pastored, and eagerly anticipated the annual Handel’s Messiah at Progressive Baptist, the church attended by her aunts and grandparents.