Support Michael Mensah's Operatic Dream
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This GoFundMe campaign is being created to help Michael Mensah, a young operatic Basso for great promise, raise the funds he needs for his first year living expenses which are estimated to be $30,000.00.
Michael is a young singer of great talent! He is what is known in the opera world as a “Basso Profundo” or “True Bass”. This is a very rare male voice type!
Here are two samples of Michael's performances that are on YouTube:
The Song of the Varnagian Guest" by Rimsky-Korsokov
Ol' Man River by Jerome Kern
Raising this money will allow him to come to the US from Europe to complete his vocal studies with a renowned Bass-Baritone at the University of Southern California's (USC) Thornton School of Music, and take advantage of the full, multi-year, graduate tuition scholarship that USC has already committed to paying for his attendance.
Unfortunately, USC's internal regulations will not allow them to pay for Michael's living expenses along with his tuition. In addition, US law dictates that, as a foreign citizen, to get the correct visa, Michael must declare himself to be a full-time student during his first year in the US. This means that he cannot work during his first year here. USC also requires to be shown a bank statement showing that the required amount of $30,000 is in a bank account, and that statement is due by December 1st, 2024. So time is short and Michael needs your help!
Micheal Mensah is quickly rising through the operatic ranks as a Basso of exceptional talent. Michael has a large, dark, resonant, and compelling voice. He also possesses a wide range of vocal talents which allow him to perform the Russian, Verdi, and Mozartian Bass repertoire. In addition, he also possesses the vocal dexterity to move his voice quickly through arias such as “Oh Ruddier than the Chery” from Henry Percell’s “The Fairy Queen”.
Being a native of Ghana, Michael had a challenging upbringing. When his vocal talent was discovered, he was initially sent to Berlin Germany to the Berlin Opera Academy. From there he advanced to singing with the Wiener Stadts Oper Chor Akademie in Vienna Austria. Beginning in 2016 Michael performed as Bass soloist in “The Messiah”. This led to his singing in Haydn’s Creation. In 2021, he was engaged as Bass soloist in Rainier Bartesch’s oratorio “Our World is on Fire”, followed by singing Jerome Kern’s “Old Man River” for the Soiree Act in 2022. Since then he has performed the role of Simone in “Gianni Schicchi” at the Berlin Opera Academy, and performed at the Vienna Stadts Opera as Choir Soloist in “Die EnPührung aus dem Serail“, and as Mr. Pilkington in “Animal Farm”
The operatic roles that Michael is currently working on include:
Sarastro „Die Zauberflöte”
Osmin „Die EnPührung aus dem Serail“
Commendatore „Don Giovanni“
Don Bartolo „Le Nozze die Figaro “
Seneca „L’incoronazione de Poppea “
As mentioned above, this GoFundMe campaign is to fund Michael's first year of living expenses estimated at $30,000.00. So, we are reaching out to find people who are willing to support Michael by contributing a portion of the amount needed. Your donations will go entirely into an account that has been set up for the “Michael Mensah’s Per Diem Fund”. So please help Michael's dream! If you would additional information about this effort or Michael, please contact Chris Hartman.
Organizer
Chris Hartman
Organizer
Pasadena, CA