Tenor Demetrious Sampson Jr. dives into murder and madness in ‘Macbeth’

A difficult childhood didn’t deter Georgia native Demetrious Sampson Jr. from pursuing a career in opera. He’ll perform in the role of Malcolm, Macbeth’s main rival, in The Atlanta Opera’s new production of the Verdi opera opening March 1.

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Atlanta-based tenor Demetrious Sampson Jr. made his debut with the Atlanta Opera in its 2020 production of Porgy and Bess.

Sampson was cast in the role after being introduced to the opera’s conductor, Rolando Salazar, by Kathryn Hartgrove, who was Sampson’s mentor at Georgia State University. “Kathryn whisked us into her office, and we had a quick impromptu audition,” he recalls. Salazar was immediately impressed, and Sampson joined the production as Crab Man. It was an opportunity for him to tap into a unique piece of Black culture.

“Porgy and Bess wasn’t written by a Black composer, but that show is owned by the Black people who perform in it,” he observes. “What made us feel great on stage was the community we built with each other. We were trying to make a great show, not just for ourselves but for our ancestors — for the people that actually were these people.”

Sampson returns to the Atlanta Opera in the company’s new production of  Verdi’s Macbeth on March 1. He’ll play Malcolm, the elder son of King Duncan and Macbeth’s main rival. It’s another career-defining role. “Verdi is my favorite Italian composer,” Sampson says. “He was able to capture humanity in a way that was unprecedented for his time. I think this production is doing a great job showcasing his genius.”

This opera, which delves into a world of murder and madness, seems like an odd place for someone as naturally jovial as Sampson. 

“I’m a triple water sign through and through,” he laughs when describing his cheerful, caring disposition. His upbeat attitude is infectious and refreshing, but it’s one that was born out of a life of early hardship.

Born in Albany, Georgia, before moving to the greater Atlanta area, Sampson was the eldest of three children raised by a single mother. It was a bleak existence: Sampson recalls living in an abandoned house in his early years, and while in high school he lived in a single hotel room with his mother and siblings. He found school to be an escape where his love of singing emerged. When a fellow student was unable to perform in a patriotic school concert, Sampson was asked to step in at the last minute.

“I got some khakis and a white polo shirt and a little patriotic hat from Dollar Tree,” he recalls. “We were from the hood, so I had my hat cocked to the side!” It was a defining moment for Sampson, who became fascinated by singing and theater as a result. He performed in choirs throughout his school years, and his love of opera blossomed. 

More than a singer, he became a Renaissance man in high school, where participation in choir, band and theater overlapped with student government and a strenuous commitment to academics. “I said ‘I never want to even think about what life would be like if I stayed how we were in Albany.’ I took care of the present and was focused on the future,” he says.

That relentless drive to break the cycle of poverty resulted in a full Hope scholarship along with other merit based scholarships. At Georgia State University, he studied under Hartgrove and earned a bachelor of music degree.

As a person of color, Sampson is acutely aware of the changes being made under the new administration and how it could impact his career. “Whether this administration wants to believe it or not, we start at a different place on the board than they do. People that look like Donald Trump and Elon Musk are going to start in front of me.” 

That stark reality was further compacted as Sampson learned about his sexuality. “When I came out as a queer person, that starting line moved even further back,” he says. Nevertheless, he refused to become apathetic. “No matter where that starting line is gonna be, I’m jumping in front of anybody I have to with the skills and the love and the knowledge and all the blessings that I have.” 

Sampson’s love of Verdi has him looking beyond Macbeth. “This is an introductory role for me into the more consequential roles of the Verdi repertoire,” he explains. He yearns to take on some of the more significant roles from the composer’s catalog (Othello outstanding among them) but acknowledges that at only 25, it will take some time. “Singing Malcolm is, for me right now, a great look on the inside of what Verdi does for a tenor.”

Those are lofty goals, but Sampson’s laser-focused ambition is undeterred. Macbeth may be a dark and sinister world, but, with his unwavering ambition, Demetrious Sampson Jr. is sure to fill it with passion.

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Jordan Owen began writing about music professionally at the age of 16 in Oxford, Mississippi. A 2006 graduate of the Berklee College of Music, he is a professional guitarist, bandleader and composer. He is currently the lead guitarist for the jazz group Other Strangers, the power metal band Axis of Empires and the melodic death/thrash metal band Century Spawn.