Published on - Maarten Sterckx

“If my work is interpreted politically, it’s because some people find my identity political”

An interview with Davóne Tines

Groundbreaking, daring, exuberant, striking – those are just a few of the adjectives used to describe the work of American bass-baritone Davóne Tines. And that was even before his recital project about that other American bass-baritone, Paul Robeson, who was once in the CIA’s sights!

“Davóne Tines is changing what it means to be a classical singer,” ran the headline of renowned music critic Alex Ross’ article in The New Yorker, back in 2021. Anyone who saw Tines at work in Rufus Wainwright’s Hadrian at Bozar last season will understand exactly what Ross meant. With his charismatic personality, it is evident that Tines is no ordinary classical singer. 

This season, he returns with his recital project ROBESOИ, in which he reveals his connection with the singer and activist Paul Robeson – an icon in the fight against racism and inequality in the US. “Although I don’t see myself as an activist at all,” Tines immediately makes clear. “A singer on the other hand ...” 

Did you always know that you wanted to sing? 
Tines: “As a child, I was always busy with music, especially playing the violin. I also sang in the church choir in my town in Virginia. My grandfather, a rock musician, convinced me that I had a distinctive voice. I remember him asking me, after a rehearsal, how it was going, and I responded with ‘operatic’. He replied that I ought to do something with my voice. Shortly afterwards, I joined the local musical group, and I turned out to be really good. Gradually, I also realised that I could enjoy myself more as a singer than as a violinist, because I found the contact with the audience more direct.” 

Did your ambition to sing professionally grow in tandem? 
Tines: “My parents weren’t immediately keen on a professional music career. So, I first studied sociology and cultural management at Harvard, after which I started working in the cultural sector in various production and administrative jobs. But singing didn’t let me go, and after several auditions at conservatories, and much to my surprise, I was accepted at Juilliard. It wasn’t an easy period, however, because everything at the school revolves around perfection. Don’t get me wrong: I definitely wanted to improve vocally, but I just didn’t feel free. It was absolutely vital for me to get to know living composers, and they gave me a new perspective on singing.” 

Which composers specifically? 
Tines: “Matthew Aucoin was very influential in my career. He wrote the opera Crossing in 2015, in which I played a runaway slave during the Civil War. That role was also entwined with the history of my family, who suffered under slavery for eight generations. John Adams was another huge influence. Together with Peter Sellars, he succeeded in exposing the dark side of the Californian gold rush in the opera Girls of the Golden West. It encouraged me to dive even deeper into my personal experiences.” 

I always try to find music with great contemporary relevance, and which touches me personally.
- Davóne Tines

How do you arrange your concert nights? 
Tines: “I always try to find music with great contemporary relevance, and which touches me personally. It can sometimes lead to some surprising combinations: Bach, gospel, Eastman, Shaw and Schönberg can, in my view, happily coexist. I also regard my concerts as a form of storytelling, as in a film or opera. In my first recital, I used the celebration of mass as a starting point, with the Kyrie and Gloria as structural building blocks. I also added some contemporary compositions to explore new layers of meaning and question what spirituality can mean today. We experience our world in narrative form, and I also think it’s the best way to communicate with my audience.” 

In your recital ROBESOИ, you focus on the actor, singer and activist Paul Robeson. Why? 
Tines: “I was frequently compared to him, because of my low voice. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve been asked if I know Paul Robeson and the song ‘Ol’ Man River’ from the musical Show Boat ... To be honest, I hardly knew anything about him in the beginning, and I was always slightly annoyed at being asked to sing that song. But then I decided to delve into his life and became fascinated by his story. The CIA poisoned Robeson with LSD during his political exile in Moscow and he attempted suicide in his hotel bathroom. It made me realise that he was not only an exceptionally talented artist, but also a very vulnerable person. Everyone has a moment when they think they can’t go on, yet they still find a way to get through. That’s what he did.” 

How do you capture this in the recital? 
Tines: “It’s devised like an imaginary LSD trip. We relive Robeson’s life through the songs that he sang – ranging from classical, gospel and Broadway, and involving electronic instruments. John Bitoy, a major figure in experimental jazz, and Khari Lucas helped me create the right atmosphere and, thanks to their talent for manipulating and magnifying acoustic sounds, they were able to enhance the hallucinatory effects.” 

Do you see yourself as an activist, like Robeson? 
Tines: “No, an activist actively works for social change. I can certainly have an influence through my art, and my identity as a black, gay man can even be a form of engagement. But I don’t consciously bring out those elements, although they do feature in my performances. Of course, it may be that my work is interpreted politically, but that is mainly because some people find my identity political. My sole intention is to tell a personal story – something that, even now, happens all too little in classical music.” 

What can an institution like Bozar do to become more diverse, you feel?
Tines: “Diversity goes far beyond just giving more artists of colour a stage. Institutions must continue to actively experiment and question why certain groups are not in the audience. It’s about deep, ongoing reflection in the way they think and work. I’m already seeing that institutions are not merely saying they want more diversity, that they are actually willing to experiment with it. Hopefully that will lead to real change.”