The University of Dayton will host two master classes taught by renowned tenor opera singer George Shirley at 8 p.m. tonight and 1 p.m. Wednesday in Sears Recital Hall. Both classes, part of the Master Teacher Series in Voice, are free and open to the public.

Shirley, a professor at the University of Michigan, will bring the experience of nearly 50 years as a performer to UD.

In that time, he has performed at several opera houses, including the Metropolitan Opera House in New York, where he sang for 11 years.

Shirley also became the first African-American to teach high school music in Detroit.

"This was at a time when music education in Detroit was second to none in the country," Shirley said. "I just came along at a time when old barriers were slowly beginning to be pulled down."

Shirley began teaching at Miller High School in Detroit while still studying at Wayne State University.

After graduation, he continued teaching at Miller until he was drafted.

The experience led Shirley to become the first African-American to join the United States Army Chorus.

Dr. Linda Snyder, a UD music professor who invited Shirley to come to campus, said he has much to offer students.

"Mr. Shirley is an eloquent and inspiring speaker, especially about being a musician and a minority, about teaching and mentoring and about striving to make our best contribution to this life and this world," Snyder said.

Shirley said he hopes "to express ideas ... in a manner that may hopefully be stimulating and supportive of what UD faculty have already conveyed to their students and to hopefully articulate a new concept or two that may prove of value in the pursuit of technical and artistic growth."

In his career, Shirley has sung in numerous operas and has had a few close encounters with legends.

"I was placed in the cast of [Giuseppe] Verdi's 'Simon Boccanegra' in the last few days before the opening due to the cancellation of the tenor originally scheduled to perform the role," he said. "The Met had to cobble together a costume for me."

He said he met Italian opera singer Renata Tebaldi during his experience.

"As I wobbled my way toward center stage where sat the great Renata Tebaldi, I opened my mouth and sprayed her with a considerable mist of saliva," he said. "I thought, 'I've just spit all over Renata Tebaldi.' She was so sweet; she just smiled and didn't even wipe her face."

Shirley will bring all of his experiences with him to UD.

He said he hopes to reinforce basic ideas students have learned before as well as offer fresh insights.

"I would wish for each individual to leave the stage excited about their potential and more determined than ever to perfect their artistry and respect the demands that musical performance entails," he said.