Keith Miller and Debbie Ayers Recital

Debbie did a recital with Met Opera bass-baritone Keith Miller, as a fundraiser for the UCF Opera Dept. Keith has an extraordinary voice, huge and warm, which filled the auditorium. The program was varied and Keith captured the audience. The dialogue between Debbie and Keith was palpable, and everyone commented about it after the concert. He spoke at length with dozens of students in the lobby. Keith has had quite a journey: he was a pro-football player who fell in love with singing after taking a date to a Broadway musical and then taught himself how to sing & read music. This led to a scholarship to the Academy of Vocal Arts, the Mt. Olympus of vocal schools, and his turning down a great contract with a football team. He was tapped by the Met, skipped the apprentice program, and has now sung in 200 opera performances. Keith has developed a fitness program for singers, which is used at the Met and is being rolled out this spring at Santa Fe Opera. Yes, his biceps are like tree trunks, and he is a friendly and modest man.