Thomas Carey

Thomas Devore Carey (December 29, 1931 – January 23, 2002) was an African-American operatic baritone. Born in Bennettsville, South Carolina, Carey was educated at universities in New York City and in Germany. He had a major operatic career in Europe during the 1960s; singing leading roles in theaters throughout the continent. While he did not completely stop performing, his singing career was largely put aside after be accepted a position on the voice faculty of the University of Oklahoma (OU) in 1969. He and his wife, contralto Carol Brice, were among the first black people appointed to OU's faculty. In 1975 Carey and his wife co-founded the Cimarron Circuit Opera Company in Norman, Oklahoma. He continued to teach at OU until his death in 2002.

Life and career Thomas Devore Carey was born in Bennettsville, South Carolina on December 29, 1931. From 1951-1953 he served in the United States Army during the time of the Korean War. After the war he went to New York City where he simultaneously studied music at the City College of New York (1954-1958) His teachers in New York included Lola Urbach, Rose Bampton, Felix Popper, Harvey Wedeen, Adelaide Bishop, and Ilse Sass. In 1961 he was a prize winner at both the ARD International Music Competition in Munich and the International Vocal Competition 's-Hertogenbosch. He and his wife In 1970, he performed the role of Mel in the world premiere of Michael Tippett's The Knot Garden at the Royal Opera House in London.

In Norman Carey co-founded the Cimarron Circuit Opera Company with his wife in 1975. One of his voice students at OU was actor Ed Harris. The Thomas Carey Papers are held in the archive of the Amistad Research Center.