Be Open Minded
Volume 1, No. 16
My taste in music is eclectic. I like a little bit of everything. Being the youngest in the house and the one of the youngest of the first generation of cousins. I never had control of the radio in the car or the stereo /record player at home. Of course everyone had their own favorite genre. Surprisingly, I didn't get into opera until college. During a Friends of the Library book sale, I found a copy of The Essential Leontyne Price: Spirituals, Hymns & Sacred Songs. I was amazed by her voice. Looking into what else she recorded, I discovered opera. Despite most operas being in Italian, German, or French, the emotions came through strength of her voice.
My world expanded and it didn't matter that people made fun of me for listening to it. If everyone stayed in their comfort zone. There would be no new discoveries, relationships, or simple growth. As most women get older, they get bolder in what they say. I am encouraging you to become bolder in how you live. As we live bolder, the things we say matter and mean more.
WISDOM OF THE WEEK
“You should always know when you're shifting gears in life. You should leave your era - it should never leave you."
— Leontyne Price
CULTURAL CORNER - AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN IN OPERA
The history of Black women opera singers is marked by their extraordinary talent and fortitude due to the obstacles they overcame to achieve recognition and success. These women enriched the world of opera with exceptional performances and left the door open for future generations of artists to follow. Their contributions continue to shape the opera landscape, promoting diversity and inclusivity in the arts.
One of the earliest known singers was Sissieretta Jones (1868-1923). Jones was the first Black woman to headline a concert on the main stage at Carnegie Hall in 1892. She was a pioneer in the operatic tradition at a time when access to most classical concert halls in the U.S. was closed to black performers and patrons. Unfortunately, there are no recordings of her voice.
Next came Marian Anderson. She toured throughout the United States, Europe, and even Latin America, Throughout her career, Marian had experienced racism, but the most famous event occurred in 1939. Organizers tried to rent Washington, D.C.’s Constitutional Hall but was told no dates were available. Previously the hall had instated a new clause: “concert by white artists only.” The hall’s director told the truth that, “No Negro will ever appear in this hall while I am manager.” The public was outrage included famous musicians and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt who resigned from the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), who owned the hall. Roosevelt, Walter White of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and others encouraged Secretary of the Interior Harold Ickes to arrange a free open-air concert on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial for Easter Sunday. On April 9, Marian sang before 75,000 people and millions of radio listeners.
After Marian, you have Leontyne Price, Jessye Norman, Kathleen Battle and Denyce Graves. These modern-day sopranos and mezzo-sopranos continue to break barriers and redefine the opera landscape with their exceptional talent and diverse repertoires. The legacy of these pioneering artists has provided a solid foundation for emerging talents like Raehann Bryce-Davis and Janai Brugger to flourish.
SISTERHOOD SPOTLIGHT
Leontyne Price (1927 ): Opera Singer (Soprano)
Mary Violet Leontyne Price grew up in the church, both of her grandfathers serving as Methodist ministers in Laurel, Mississippi where she was born. Following in the footsteps of Sissieretta Jones, Price broke racial barriers and achieved international fame.
She didn't decide to pursue a career in music as a singer until after graduating with a bachelors degree in music education at the College of Education and Industrial Arts, now Central State University.
Paul Robeson, renowned bass singer and actor, was impressed by Price's voice, and—knowing she was aiming to enroll at Juilliard—worked with the Central State administrators to host a benefit concert to help raise money for her tuition. Price had begun her vocal studies with the goal of developing a concert career, which was the only viable option for African Americans at that time. She studied for four years at New York’s Juilliard School of Music. In the role of Cecilia in the 1952 revival of the opera Four Saints in Three Acts launched her professional career and she never looked back
She fell in love with classical music at age 9, having heard Marian Anderson sing a recital while on a school trip. In April 1982, she performed at Constitution Hall in Washington, DC, with a program dedicated to Marian Anderson because forty-three years earlier, Anderson had been denied the right to perform there.
Price is often described as a "lirico-spinto" soprano with a remarkable 3-1/2 octave range. Her voice has been praised for its vibrancy, glow, velvety texture, and elegance. The timbre of her voice was uniquely personal and instantly recognizable, setting her apart from all others. Price is best known for her leading roles in Porgy & Bess, Aida, and Il Trovatore. Due to her roots in the church, Price always loved singing Negro spirituals, which she called "Black heartbeat music". A little known fact is that Price is a maternal cousin to legendary singers Dionne Warwick and Whitney Houston.
Leontyne Price, one of the most frequently recorded opera singers, won over 20 Grammy Awards, including a lifetime achievement award in 1989. She was also honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1964, a Kennedy Center Honor in 1980, and the National Medal of the Arts in 1985. In 2008, she was among the first to be named an Opera Honoree by the National Endowment for the Arts.
Price's recording of the Negro Spiritual, Deep River .
The African American Music Appreciation Challenge Series:
Week #2: Watch a signature performance by a black opera singer .
Most opera singers are known for signature performance. Some examples are:
Leontyne Price: Adia
Denyce Graves: Carmen
J’Nai Bridges: Akhnaten
P.S. If you are a Chaka Khan fan, NPR just released her Tiny Desk performance.
If you are interested in trying out Audible, click on the link for a 30 day free trial.
Until next time.....remember your voice and stories matters!
