Eugene Holmes
was born in Haywood County near the Dancyville Community March 7, 1934. He was the
youngest of 15 siblings born to Charlie and Mary Dotson Holmes. His mother passed away
when Holmes was a small boy. According to Evelyn Jones, his sisters tried to care for the
children but were unsuccessful and the children eventually moved in different directions
with family members. A sister moved to St. Louis when Holmes was in the second or third
grade at the Dancyville School and he moved with her.
He completed his education in St. Louis and Missouri. After graduation from college, he
taught school for a couple of years in St. Louis but decided that teaching was not his
forte.
He decided to change careers and zeroed in on a career in music. As it turned out, that
wasn't a bad decision at all.
He made several television appearances on the Ted Mack Show in the early 1960s and his
career and notoriety as a strong baritone singer began to take shape. Evelyn Jones
remembers catching these shows when she lived on Hatchie Street. "It didn't seem to
be too long after that," she, said, "when he moved to Germany."
In a publication of the Koanga cast of the American premier of 1970, Holmes was
described in this fashion: "He studied at Boston University and performed his first
leading part with the Goldovsky Opera Theatre as "John Proctor" in The Crucible.
He has achieved national prominence both on the operatic and recital stage. As a member of
the Metropolitan Opera National Company, Holmes performed as a leading baritone when he
sang the role of the Elder "Germont" in La Traviata 40 times and
"Schaunard" in La Boheme 38 times. These performances were followed by a highly
successful debut with the San Francisco Opera in Schuller's The Visitation, and with the
New York City Opera as the Elder "Germont" in La Traviata." Holmes also
made his debut at the Vienna State Opera as "Amonasro" in Aida and as
"Tonio" in Pagliacd at the Staatsoper. He played the leading role in the world
premiere of Gian Carlo Menotti's The Most Important Man presented by the New York City
Opera. He was a member of the Deutsche Oper am Rhein, Dusseldorf from 1983 and appeared as
Nabucco, Amonasro, Macbeth, and Boccanegra.
In addition to the U.S., his opera and concert tours have taken him to such countries
as Germany, France, Russia, and Japan.
He consistently received raving reviews from the opera critics. Regarding his role in
"Koanga," Harold C. Schonberg of the New York Times wrote, "In all respects
Mr. Holmes was superb. He had the bearing, the dignity, the body and a voice of commanding
depth and timbre." According to Time Magazine, ..."so superb was the singing of
Eugene Holmes that sellout audiences erupted into shouting ovations at the end."
Kathlyn Russell of San Diego wrote, "Eugene Holmes, who became a San Diego favorite
with his performances of Scarpia and Germont, practically received the keys to the city as
Count di Luna. Not only was he in
glorious voice, with precise and intelligent musical interpretation, but his stage
presence was commanding from the opening, and he was convincing in his role of the
arrogant aristocrat." There are literally hundredsof similar reviews regarding Holmes
many performances.
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