Grace City Opera Theatre

Claudia Ann Merrill

Founder and Artistic Director of the Grace City Opera Theatre, Claudia has performed all over the United States and Europe singing Opera and performing as a Concert Artist. After making her debut at Carnegie Hall singing John Rutter’s Requiem with the New England Symphony, she then went on to become the first African American Principal Soprano for the Las
Vegas City Opera. Claudia has performed several roles and has performed at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Michigan Opera Theatre, Nevada Opera Theatre, Nevada Grand Opera and Arbor Opera Theatre. In addition to her opera work, Claudia has performed as a solo artist in Handel’s Messiah, Faure Requiem, Dubois’ Seven Last Words of Christ, John Rutter’s Requiem, Mozart’s Magnificat, Vivaldi’s Gloria, Mendelssohn’s Elijah, John Carter’s Cantata, Joseph Joubert’s Oh Glory and many others.

Ms. Merrill is a graduate of Detroit Public Schools, University of Detroit Mercy, and Wayne State University with further Music and Opera studies at Marygrove College. Ms. Merrill founded Soprano Expressions in 2015 and The Grace City Opera Theatre in 2016. The Grace City Opera Theatre is a 501c3 non profit organization committed to the preservation, education and performance of the works of African American and African Descent Classical Composers and Artists.

Ms. Merrill is a member of the Voice Foundation, the world’s oldest and leading organization dedicated to the care of the voice, National Association of Teachers of Singers, and The American Guild of Musical Artists. The 2019 Tribute to Marian Anderson concert marked the World Premiere of the Opera “Witness” written and composed by Ms. Merrill. In October 2023, Ms. Merrill made History in the state of Nevada by opening the first ever African American Founded Opera Company and the
first African American Opera Company to be led by a Woman in the state.

Though the Opera Theatre’s beginnings were in Farmington, Mi Ms. Merrill still made history as the first African American Opera Company in years, with a focus on the Master Works of African American and African Descent Classical Composers. As a Composer herself, Ms. Merrill continues to compose Prophetic Opera and Social Justice Opera.

Betty Lane

Betty Lane is a native Detroiter who has the distinction of being the first American, as well as the first Black American, to win Le Premier Grand Prix in Le Concours International de Chant  in Toulouse, France. Ms. Lane’s Carnegie Hall debut with David Randolph and the St. Cecelia Chorus and Orchestra was quickly followed by her New York recital debut in Carnegei Recital Hall.

Her symphonic debut was with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra; international symphonic debut with the Orchestre de Toulouse at the Ravel Festival in France; operatic debut with Santa Fe Opera and international operatic debut with Franfurt Opera in Germany. Known as the “Summertime Lady,” Betty Lane can be heard in the role of Clara on the Grammy award-winning RCA Victor original cast recording of Houston Grand Opera’s revival of Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess.

A graduate of Julliard (MS, BS), Spelman College (BA) and Detroit’s Central High School, she has also earned certificates in voice from the Academia Chigiana in Italy and the Ravel Academie in France.

In her capacity as a Singing Voice Specialist, Betty Lane owns and operates Vocal Pathways, a voice training and vocal health resource for singers, actors and speakers with abuse, misused, aging, troubled and injured voices. She is a member of the Voice Foundation, the world’s oldest and leading organization dedicated to voice care and is currently a member of the voice faculty at Wayne State University in Detroit.

Carl Clendenning

Carl Clendenning is a native son of Detroit, Educated in Detroit Public Schools, Wayne State University and Marygrove College. For most of his adult life has served as Music Minister in houses of worship in the Metro Detroit area. He currently serves as Music Director at Gesu Catholic Church in Detroit. Carl has performed as a soloist in many productions ranging from Classical, Jazz, Music Theater and Oratorio. He has most recently performed at the Detroit Jazz Festival with Dave Brubeck and with the Grace City Opera Theatre and Soprano Expressions in a Tribute to Marian Anderson.

Duncan Mcmillan

Duncan Williamson McMillan began studying piano at age 5. His Musical studies continued with Frederic Dehaven at Christ Church in Grosse Ponte, singing in the boy’s choir (1980-1987). From 1989-1992, Duncan studied jazz piano and music theory with James Hohmeyer, Bess Bonnier and matt Michaels. Upon graduation from Western Michigan University in 1997 (B.M. piano/jazz studies), Duncan has established a reputation as a versatile musician, working with such diverse artists as Jon Hendricks, Aretha Franklin, Rodney Whitaker, Ira Sullivan, Marcus Belgrave, Eric Marienthal, Nelson Rangell , Chris Standring and the Four Freshmen. 

In demand as both a pianist and organist, he regularly performs in the Midwest region with vocalist Sarah D’Angelo, The Paul Keller Orchestra , and The Randy Napoleon Sextet. In Addition, Mr. McMillan is a respected musical director/arranger for regional theaters, church organizations and local bands. His arrangements have been performed by The Detroit Symphony Orchestra, University of Michigan (Flint) Jazz Ensemble, Midland-Odessa Symphony Orchestra, Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Jazz Orchestra, Flint Symphony Orchestra and The R.J. Spangler Nonet.