The bass baritone from Iowa in the USA is already a living legend. As Simon Estes began his studies in medicine and psychology, he joined a university band where he was discovered by voice teacher Charles Kellis, who introduced him to the opera repertoire. His international breakthrough came as a bass baritone in Europe. In 1968 he made his debut as Ramphis in Aida at the Deutsche Oper in Berlin. In 1966 he was the prizewinner at the International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow. Since then he has sung in all the world’s great opera houses and has appeared under all the conductors of note with the leading orchestras.