H.C.R. No. 31
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, A gifted opera singer, Barbara Smith Conrad has been
delighting audiences for the past four decades, achieving worldwide
acclaim and recognition; and
WHEREAS, Raised in the East Texas community of Center Point,
Barbara Smith began exploring music as a child; she and her siblings
practiced playing a variety of genres on their family's piano, from
sonatas by Mozart to the gospel hymns they heard at their local
Baptist church; she went on to attend The University of Texas at
Austin, and as a sophomore, she won the lead role in the campus
production of Dido and Aeneas; however, in an incident that drew
national attention, Ms. Smith was advised by school administrators
that she could not perform in the opera; despite an offer from actor
Harry Belafonte to underwrite her studies at the institution of her
choice, she chose to remain at the university and earned her
bachelor's degree in music from UT in 1959; and
WHEREAS, Pursuing a career as a vocalist in the years that
followed, she took her father's first name, Conrad, and toured with
various opera groups; in 1977, she was cast as Marian Anderson in
the ABC television movie, Eleanor and Franklin: The White House
Years; she also garnered praise for her work in the Houston Grand
Opera production of Carmen, and she became a performer with the
prestigious Metropolitan Opera from 1982 to 1989; this exceptional
mezzo-soprano continued to play leading roles with the Vienna State
Opera, New York City Opera, Teatro Nacional de Venezuela,
Pittsburgh Opera, and others throughout the United States, Canada,
Europe, and South America; moreover, she has been accompanied by
such celebrated orchestras as the New York Philharmonic and the
symphonies of London, Boston, Cleveland, and Detroit; and
WHEREAS, In 1984, Ms. Conrad returned to her alma mater to
lend her voice for the premiere of Al-Inkishafi, and the following
year, she was named a Distinguished Alumnus by the Ex-Students'
Association of The University of Texas; she has also been honored
with invitations to sing at the White House for Lady Bird Johnson's
75th birthday and to perform for Pope John Paul II during his visit
to New York City in 1995; and
WHEREAS, Today, among her other pursuits, Ms. Conrad spends
time at her vocal studio in Manhattan and works closely with the
Manhattan School of Music as the cofounder and codirector of its
Wagner Theater Program; she also regularly participates in the
Distinguished Alumnus Awards at UT, where she often sings "The Eyes
of Texas"; fittingly, the university has created an endowed
presidential scholarship in fine arts in Ms. Conrad's name, and in
2005, the Dolph Briscoe Center for American History at UT announced
the Endowment for the Study of the American Spiritual, for which Ms.
Conrad serves as the national ambassador; she released a recording
of spirituals in 1995 with the choir of the Convent Avenue Baptist
Church and remains dedicated to preserving this art form; and
WHEREAS, With talent and perseverance, Barbara Smith Conrad
has become a world-renowned mezzo-soprano, and in realizing her
dreams, she is an inspiration to countless individuals; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the 81st Legislature of the State of Texas
hereby commend Barbara Smith Conrad on her accomplished musical
career and her role in the movement toward civil rights in the
United States of America, and extend to her sincere best wishes for
continued success and happiness; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for Ms. Conrad as an expression of high regard by the Texas
House of Representatives and Senate.
Hughes
Dukes
Naishtat
Thompson
King of Taylor
Straus Gattis Menendez Straus Gattis Menendez
Straus Gattis Menendez
Allen Geren Merritt Allen Geren Merritt
Allen Geren Merritt
Alonzo Giddings Miklos Alonzo Giddings Miklos
Alonzo Giddings Miklos
Alvarado Gonzales Miller of Comal Alvarado Gonzales Miller of Comal
Alvarado Gonzales Miller of Comal
Anchia Gonzalez Toureilles Miller of Erath Anchia Gonzalez Toureilles Miller of Erath
Anchia Gonzalez Toureilles Miller of Erath
Anderson Guillen Moody Anderson Guillen Moody
Anderson Guillen Moody
Aycock Gutierrez Morrison Aycock Gutierrez Morrison
Aycock Gutierrez Morrison
Berman Hamilton Naishtat Berman Hamilton Naishtat
Berman Hamilton Naishtat
Bohac Hancock Oliveira Bohac Hancock Oliveira
Bohac Hancock Oliveira
Bolton Hardcastle Olivo Bolton Hardcastle Olivo
Bolton Hardcastle Olivo
Bonnen Harless Orr Bonnen Harless Orr
Bonnen Harless Orr
Branch Harper-Brown Ortiz, Jr. Branch Harper-Brown Ortiz, Jr.
Branch Harper-Brown Ortiz, Jr.
Brown of Kaufman Hartnett Otto Brown of Kaufman Hartnett Otto
Brown of Kaufman Hartnett Otto
Brown of Brazos Heflin Parker Brown of Brazos Heflin Parker
Brown of Brazos Heflin Parker
Burnam Hernandez Patrick Burnam Hernandez Patrick
Burnam Hernandez Patrick
Button Herrero Paxton Button Herrero Paxton
Button Herrero Paxton
Callegari Hilderbran Pena Callegari Hilderbran Pena
Callegari Hilderbran Pena
Castro Hochberg Phillips Castro Hochberg Phillips
Castro Hochberg Phillips
Chavez Hodge Pickett Chavez Hodge Pickett
Chavez Hodge Pickett
Chisum Homer Pierson Chisum Homer Pierson
Chisum Homer Pierson
Christian Hopson Pitts Christian Hopson Pitts
Christian Hopson Pitts
Cohen Howard of Fort Bend Quintanilla Cohen Howard of Fort Bend Quintanilla
Cohen Howard of Fort Bend Quintanilla
Coleman Howard of Travis Raymond Coleman Howard of Travis Raymond
Coleman Howard of Travis Raymond
Cook Hughes Riddle Cook Hughes Riddle
Cook Hughes Riddle
Corte Hunter Rios Ybarra Corte Hunter Rios Ybarra
Corte Hunter Rios Ybarra
Crabb Isett Ritter Crabb Isett Ritter
Crabb Isett Ritter
Craddick Jackson Rodriguez Craddick Jackson Rodriguez
Craddick Jackson Rodriguez
Creighton Jones Rose Creighton Jones Rose
Creighton Jones Rose
Crownover Keffer Sheffield Crownover Keffer Sheffield
Crownover Keffer Sheffield
Darby Kent Shelton Darby Kent Shelton
Darby Kent Shelton
Davis of Harris King of Parker Smith of Tarrant Davis of Harris King of Parker Smith of Tarrant
Davis of Harris King of Parker Smith of Tarrant
Davis of Dallas King of Taylor Smith of Harris Davis of Dallas King of Taylor Smith of Harris
Davis of Dallas King of Taylor Smith of Harris
Deshotel King of Zavala Smithee Deshotel King of Zavala Smithee
Deshotel King of Zavala Smithee
Driver Kleinschmidt Solomons Driver Kleinschmidt Solomons
Driver Kleinschmidt Solomons
Dukes Kolkhorst Strama Dukes Kolkhorst Strama
Dukes Kolkhorst Strama
Dunnam Kuempel Swinford Dunnam Kuempel Swinford
Dunnam Kuempel Swinford
Dutton Laubenberg Taylor Dutton Laubenberg Taylor
Dutton Laubenberg Taylor
Edwards Legler Thibaut Edwards Legler Thibaut
Edwards Legler Thibaut
Eiland Leibowitz Thompson Eiland Leibowitz Thompson
Eiland Leibowitz Thompson
Eissler Lewis Truitt Eissler Lewis Truitt
Eissler Lewis Truitt
Elkins Lucio III Turner of Tarrant Elkins Lucio III Turner of Tarrant
Elkins Lucio III Turner of Tarrant
England Madden Turner of Harris England Madden Turner of Harris
England Madden Turner of Harris
Farabee Maldonado Vaught Farabee Maldonado Vaught
Farabee Maldonado Vaught
Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey
Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey
Farrar Marquez Villarreal Farrar Marquez Villarreal
Farrar Marquez Villarreal
Fletcher Martinez Vo Fletcher Martinez Vo
Fletcher Martinez Vo
Flores Martinez Fischer Walle Flores Martinez Fischer Walle
Flores Martinez Fischer Walle
Flynn McCall Weber Flynn McCall Weber
Flynn McCall Weber
Frost McClendon Woolley Frost McClendon Woolley
Frost McClendon Woolley
Gallego McReynolds Zerwas Gallego McReynolds Zerwas
Gallego McReynolds Zerwas
______________________________ ______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I certify that H.C.R. No. 31 was adopted by the House on
February 5, 2009, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
I certify that H.C.R. No. 31 was adopted by the Senate on
February 10, 2009, by a viva-voce vote.
______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
APPROVED: __________________
Date
__________________
Governor
Straus Gattis Menendez
Allen Geren Merritt
Alonzo Giddings Miklos
Alvarado Gonzales Miller of Comal
Anchia Gonzalez Toureilles Miller of Erath
Anderson Guillen Moody
Aycock Gutierrez Morrison
Berman Hamilton Naishtat
Bohac Hancock Oliveira
Bolton Hardcastle Olivo
Bonnen Harless Orr
Branch Harper-Brown Ortiz, Jr.
Brown of Kaufman Hartnett Otto
Brown of Brazos Heflin Parker
Burnam Hernandez Patrick
Button Herrero Paxton
Callegari Hilderbran Pena
Castro Hochberg Phillips
Chavez Hodge Pickett
Chisum Homer Pierson
Christian Hopson Pitts
Cohen Howard of Fort Bend Quintanilla
Coleman Howard of Travis Raymond
Cook Hughes Riddle
Corte Hunter Rios Ybarra
Crabb Isett Ritter
Craddick Jackson Rodriguez
Creighton Jones Rose
Crownover Keffer Sheffield
Darby Kent Shelton
Davis of Harris King of Parker Smith of Tarrant
Davis of Dallas King of Taylor Smith of Harris
Deshotel King of Zavala Smithee
Driver Kleinschmidt Solomons
Dukes Kolkhorst Strama
Dunnam Kuempel Swinford
Dutton Laubenberg Taylor
Edwards Legler Thibaut
Eiland Leibowitz Thompson
Eissler Lewis Truitt
Elkins Lucio III Turner of Tarrant
England Madden Turner of Harris
Farabee Maldonado Vaught
Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey
Farrar Marquez Villarreal
Fletcher Martinez Vo
Flores Martinez Fischer Walle
Flynn McCall Weber
Frost McClendon Woolley
Gallego McReynolds Zerwas