Donald Ferrell Pippin

Donald was born and raised in Zebulon, NC and spent his formative high school years in Richmond, VA. He was an accomplished pianist in his youth and was considered a prodigy. By age 14, he had performed as a soloist with the Norfolk Symphony and the National Symphony of Washington, DC. He graduated first in his high school class, where he was also editor-in-chief of the school literary magazine and a member of the national honor society for journalism. He graduated with honors and earned a full scholarship to Harvard University.

In 1950, he relocated to San Francisco and began to perform Sunday afternoon recitals of classical music in the infamous “hungry i” nightclub. There, Donald created ambitious music programs composed of piano works, pieces for small chamber groups, and song. Over time, his chamber music programs expanded to include the singing of opera arias, and then highlights from operas, and eventually, complete operas. These performances occurred in the back room of The Old Spaghetti Factory, a colorful Italian restaurant in San Francisco’s North Beach neighborhood, where the convivial environment underscored Donald’s idea of opera as an accessible and entertaining art form. In 1977, admirers helped Donald found Pocket Opera to enable the staging of operas in intimate settings with minimal sets and costumes.

Donald also translated many of these operatic works from their original languages into English. His translations and accompanying narrations are housed in the music library at Stanford University. His company, Pocket Opera, continues to perform his 90-plus translations today, in its 44th season.

Donald has been recognized for his contributions to the performing arts by the City of San Francisco, and was included in the University of California Library's project for the Oral History of Notable Californians.

Donald loved spending time each summer with his family and many friends in scenic Lake George, NY. Donald is survived by his brother, Raymond Pippin of Charlotte, NC; his sister Julia (Judy) Dewey and her husband Richard Graham of Queensbury, NY; half-sister Susan and her husband Jon Sullivan of Salem, MA; half-brother Calvin and his wife Nancy of Zebulon, NC; his niece, Melissa Pagnotta and her husband Ed of Lake George, NY; his nephew, Mark Dewey and his partner Sue Steves of Fort Ann, NY; his nephew, Jason Pippin and his wife Madyline of Wilmington, NC; and his nephew, Adam Pippin of Wilmington, NC. Donald is also survived by great-nieces Jessie Pagnotta, Chanda Dewey, Shayla Dewey and Trilloe Pippin; and by great-nephews Jacob Pagnotta and Tanner Dewey.