Simon Estes has filled opera houses around the world. He’s one of the greatest bass baritones of all time, and he has touched thousands of lives with his music and his commitment to helping others. A new documentary, Simon Estes: A Heart and A Voice tells the remarkable story of this Centerville native who shattered the color barrier for Black men in opera, and has used his acclaim and devout faith to give back as a philanthropist and humanitarian.
Later in the episode, we speak with Council Bluffs-based author, John T. Price, about his latest work, Goethe’s Oak: A Holocaust Story. Price writes from the perspective of the tree that stood as a symbol of resilience to prisoners of the Buchenwald concentration camp in Germany.
Guests:
- Simon Estes, executive producer, Simon Estes: A Heart and a Voice, and F. Wendell Miller Distinguished Artist in Residence, Iowa State University
- Steve Schott, director, Simon Estes: A Heart and a Voice
- John T. Price, author, director of the Department of English’s Creative Nonfiction Writing program, University of Nebraska-Omaha
