Dear Billy

William Pearson came to Cologne in 1956. He was one of the first black singers to emigrate artistically because racist barriers in the USA prevented them from pursuing an artistic career on the stages of serious music. In Germany, doors soon opened for him in the niche of New Music. Bussotti, Kagel and Ligeti wrote works for him. Henze composed the recital El Cimarrón for him based on the autobiography of a Cuban slave. Pearson gradually made a name for himself, became a sought-after baritone and conquered stages in Germany, Europe and overseas.

This volume brings together letters, essays, photos and documents. They can be read as a reflection of a time when new music was just beginning to emerge, when encrusted morals were barely beginning to loosen and racism in this country was only somewhat more covert. Pearson knew how to compensate for this social and cultural tension and, despite his success, also knew why he was denied classical opera roles despite his outstanding singing qualities and the praise he received for them.

Franz-Josef Heumannskämper is a director and performer. He met William Pearson on September 25, 1976. They were life partners until Pearson's death. Joint projects(dadazuerich, Mix. Hommage á Max Ernst, HerzschMerzen and Violet) established Heumannskämper's reputation as a director and performer. His work in theater, music theater, contemporary and early music has taken him through Europe, Africa and Australia. He cultivates and develops the legacy of William Pearson.

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Listen here: Deutschlandfunk Kultur
Tuesday, 28.01.2025, 00:05 h
New music: "I have never regretted it". The baritone William Pearson in Germany
By Egbert Hiller