Opera's Morris Robinson Goes Home, Musically

Morris Robinson is an opera star who is built like an offensive lineman.

That's because he used to be one. Robinson was a two-time All-American at The Citadel — the military college where Morris was nicknamed "Massive."

Although he aspired to play professional football, Robinson was told that he was too slow. Eventually, he found success by using one of his other massive talents: his voice, a seemingly bottomless bass.

He now sings with the Metropolitan Opera, where his roles have included Sarastro in The Magic Flute and the King of Egypt in Aida.

Robinson first started playing and singing music at his church while growing up in Atlanta. He recently released Going Home, a CD of the spirituals he was surrounded by in his youth. Robinson's unique approach to gospel music combines his rich and operatically trained voice with jazzy arrangements.

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