Long before his arrival, Clay Hilley’s maternal grandmother, Margie Ferguson, wished for a musical grandchild.
“My joke is that due to those prayers, I’m the one left with all the debt from music schools and conservatories,” Hilley remarks.
Undoubtedly, he is a musical sensation.
Today, Hilley BMus ’04 stands as an internationally acclaimed opera singer. Based in Berlin, he has toured the globe enriching his repertoire of opera’s most renowned characters, including the lead roles of Samson, Tristan, and Siegfried. From timeless Beethoven, Mozart, and Wagner compositions to contemporary and avant-garde pieces, he excels in all.
Clay Hilley made his debut on the Athens stage at 15. Now, he performs in Europe’s most illustrious opera venues. (Photo by Dasha Buben Photography)
However, Hilley’s path began in Statham with Margie. Not willing to depend solely on her supplications, she enticed her 5-year-old grandson with his very own piano.
“Not too long after that, likely due to those seeds she had sown, I began to notice the pianist at church on Sundays,” Hilley reflects.
He was captivated by how the pianist’s hands glided smoothly over the keys. Shortly thereafter, he began taking piano lessons.
At 15, he made his debut with the Athens Choral Society (currently recognized as the Classic City Community Chorus). By that time, Hilley was sure he wanted to transform his passion for music into a profession. At UGA, he enrolled in a music education program with a dual focus on piano and voice.
Yet it was a performance of Puccini’s opera La bohème at the Classic Center with the Athena Grand Opera Company and the UGA Symphony that truly inspired Hilley to delve into opera.
He packed his belongings, accepted every opportunity, and absorbed all the experiences he could. Hilley sang at Opera in the Ozarks in Arkansas, surrounded by other aspiring vocalists. Even then, his colleagues predicted that he would take on challenging operatic characters.
Amidst cornfields in Indiana, he performed at public schools as Baby Bear in “Goldilocks and the Three Bears” accompanied by the tunes of The Magic Flute.
Hilley also prioritized education, obtaining his Master of Music in voice performance from Georgia State University. He furthered his studies at both the Manhattan School of Music and the Opera Institute at Boston University, participating in summer programs annually.
However, he ultimately returned home, taking on minor roles or serving as an understudy.
Even at the age of 32, he was still a novice in the opera domain, but Hilley’s substantial efforts eventually bore fruit.
In 2012, he caught the eye of Francesca Zambello, the artistic director of the Glimmerglass Festival in New York, who introduced him to opera legend Jon Fredric West. West took him under his wing, and Hilley gained the title of heldentenor, a vocal classification noted for its strength, dramatic flair, and endurance.
Hilley reached his pinnacle in 2021, making his debut at the Deutsche Oper Berlin in the iconic title role in Siegfried, a role demanding over five hours of vocal performance. “At 39 years old; after 11 years of people telling me every week, ‘Clay, any moment now, your career will take off,’” he recalls. “A prominent theater finally offered me an opportunity.”
He hasn’t sung in a cornfield since.
Now booked through 2028, Hilley will perform in some of Europe’s most esteemed opera venues. In March, he revisited the Teatro Lirico Giuseppe Verdi in Trieste, Italy, reprising an old role, Erik in Der Fligende Holländer. He is set to perform the title character of Tannhäuser during a house debut at the Wiener Staatsoper in Vienna, Austria.
In a time of digital distractions, opera holds a distinct relevance today due to its capacity to captivate your attention. It pulls you from your seat. It doesn’t let you escape.
“It’s all about the quality of the tissue in your throat,” Hilley expresses.
Consider the sensation you experience just before a yawn. Your larynx sits at a lower position; mastering this positioning is vital for sustaining vocal strength and endurance.
Much like elite athletes, top-tier opera singers are well-versed in technique. Hilley’s knowledge empowers him to chase a passion he was destined for.
“Opera showcases life’s spectrum—love, hate, jealousy, birth, and death. These life moments are amplified.”
The post Clay Hilley: Encore! Encore! appeared first on UGA Today.