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"KAMMERSȀNGER" literally translates to "chamber singer," but in the music world, the German word means much more than that: It's a title given by the German government to the most distinguished opera singer in the country. When Macon's own Allan Evans received the honor in 1996, nothing could have been more fitting. Evans was the one of the world's first prominent black American opera singers, leading an impressive career from 1968- 2010. His career spanned not only decades but also countries. In 1966, he left the United States for permanent residence in Germany to escape the Jim Crow South's restrictions of black musicians performing in mainstream venues. "Personally, Allan was full of kindness and incredible talent," said Gina Ward, director of Macon's Douglass Theatre, the premier performance venue open to black residents in Macon during segregation. "How many people from Macon went on to sing in the world's greatest opera houses and concert halls?" An illustrious career Long before his professional debut in the 1960s, Evans' talent was undeniable. The baritone got his start here in Macon. He sang in the choir at Fulton Baptist Church and at Ballard Hudson High School. After graduating from both Knoxville College in Tennessee and Macalester College in Minnesota, he received an endowment from Readers' Digest founder Dewitt Wallace to attend the prestigious Juilliard School of Music in New York, where he studied musicology. After receiving a degree from Juilliard, Evans moved to Germany, the birthplace of traditional opera. He studied music in Bayreuth, at the Munich Conservatory, at the Salzburg Mozarteum and in Vienna. Vienna was where he performed for the first time, at the Vienna Chamber Opera in 1968. He worked at the Theater Trier from 1968-1972, but he also performed at the Theater Bremen, Zurich Opera House, Graz Opera and the Cologne Opera while making a name for himself in his adopted country. He became an ensemble member at the Basel Theatre in Sweden, where his performances received international critical acclaim. Evans remained a member from 1978 until 1986, when he joined the National Theater Mannheim. Evans traveled throughout Germany and Europe to perform, but he settled in Mannheim, Germany, for most of his adult life. He continued to perform nationally and regionally in Europe at prestigious opera houses. Evans passed away in 2018 at the age of 77 in Mannheim. Evans' impact in Macon Despite studying, performing and living abroad, Evans never forgot his Georgia roots. He often took breaks from performing during the summer seasons, and he used the down time to travel home. While visiting family and friends, he also delivered concerts and music workshops to the Macon community. "With all of Allan's appearances around the world, he was never too busy to save a date for the Douglass," said Ward. "We were blessed to have Allan sing from his favorite repertoire of operas and beloved Negro spirituals. He was always excited about conducting student workshops, which included a very special one on the Douglass stage one afternoon." Evans also established the Mildred O. Evans scholarship, named for his mother, which is awarded annually to a music student from Macon. The Douglass Theatre planned to recognize Evans in March by honoring him with a star in the theater's Walk of Fame. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the event. "Even though we were not able to complete the March 20 installation festivities honoring him, we were still able to install his image on our Douglass Walk of Fame," Ward said. "Once we get back to some kind of normalcy, we will definitely pay tribute to Allan Evans, a Douglass star." "WITH ALL OF ALLAN'S APPEARANCES AROUND THE WORLD, HE WAS NEVER TOO BUSY TO SAVE A DATE FOR THE DOUGLASS." -GINA WARD Macon Greats BY EMILY ROSE THORNE PHOTO COURTESY OF THE DOUGLASS THEATRE 78 maconmagazine.com | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2020