Biography of Grace Bumbry
(Singer, born January 4, 1937, in St. Louis, Missouri)
Her
obsession with singing began when she was still a child. That
obsession--together with a ravishing natural voice, an extraordinary
talent, and unwavering determination--led to one of the most
illustrious operatic careers of the 20th century. What's more, when
most eras can boast four or perhaps five superstar sopranos and even
fewer superstar mezzo-sopranos, for more than three decades and for
millions of opera lovers in the United States and around the world,
Grace Bumbry was both. Her unique sound and her gripping stage
presence, once experienced, simply cannot be forgotten
Moving from one range to the other with breathtaking ease gave her a singular spectrum of roles--from Santuzza (
Cavalleria rusticana ), Ortrud (
Lohengrin ), Dalila (
Samson et Dalila ), Adalgisa (
Norma ), Kundry (
Parsifal ), Eboli (
Don Carlo ), Orfeo and Carmen to Salome, Elisabeth (
Tannhäuser ), Norma, Gioconda, Aïda, Tosca, Medea, Elvira (
Ernani ), Leonora (
Il trovatore and
La forza del destino ), Bess (
Porgy and Bess ), and Turandot.
Her international career began in 1960. She sang Amneris in
Aïda --an
epic challenge even for the most seasoned mezzos. She was just 23 years
old and this was her operatic debut. And that debut wasn't in some
backwater town where a few slip-ups would go unnoticed. It was at the
Paris Opera, a performance that would be covered by the international
press and analyzed note for note by one of the most sophisticated
audiences in the world. It was an unconditional triumph that led to
another major career milestone the following year and a performance
that would change the face of opera forever.
In 1961, Wieland Wagner, grandson of Richard Wagner, cast Bumbry as Venus in a new production of
Tannhäuser .
As the Goddess of Love that seduces Wagner's noble hero, Bumbry would
be the first black opera singer to appear at Bayreuth, the world's most
revered shrine to the great composer and his art. It was a move that
infuriated a good many conservative opera-goers, many calling it a
cultural disgrace. Wieland Wagner shot back: "When I heard Grace
Bumbry, I knew she was the perfect Venus. Grandfather would have been
delighted." The media frenzy that ensued was global. The performance
became one of the most celebrated in history. Thunderous applause
rocked the theater for 30 minutes as the cast was brought back to the
stage for 42 curtain calls. Jacqueline Kennedy subsequently invited her
to sing at the White House. She won the public's adoration and along
the way smashed a racial barrier that would no longer stand in the way
of future generations of opera and classical singers.
Decades
later, Ms. Bumbry was named Honorary UNESCO Ambassador, cited for her
achievements as an artist and for her work in support of education,
health, and youth causes. UNESCO Director-General Federico Mayor said:
"Grace Bumbry has transcended stereotypes of operatic casting. Her
magnificent voice has therefore been a means of opening wide the doors
of the operatic world to blacks and other minorities."
Born
Grace Ann Bumbry in St. Louis, the daughter of a railroad company
freight handler and a school teacher, the future international opera
star started singing around the family piano and then in the family
church youth choir. She graduated from the first black high school west
of the Mississippi, and won a radio talent competition at age 17. Her
prize was a scholarship to the local music conservatory, only the
conservatory was segregated and did not admit Grace into its classrooms
but offered her private lessons instead. Her parents refused. Instead,
she auditioned for Arthur Godfrey's popular "Talent Scouts" program.
Her selection, Verdi's "O don fatale," moved the host not only to
tears, but also to predict that "her name will be one of the most
famous names in music one day." In a touch of supreme irony, that same
day the U.S. Supreme Court announced its decision banning segregated
schools.
She studied at Boston University and later at
Northwestern, where she met her mentor, the acclaimed Lotte Lehmann,
with whom she later studied at the Music Academy of the West in Santa
Barbara, California. At the 1958 Metropolitan Opera auditions, she
shared a first place win with the soprano Martina Arroyo. Later that
year, she made her recital debut in Paris. In 1960, the same year as
the famous Paris
Aïda , she joined the Basel Opera. The famed
impresario, Sol Hurok, brought her back to the United States in 1962
for an extensive national recital tour: a Carnegie Hall debut plus 21
cities, including her home town of St. Louis, where she thrilled 3,000
music lovers in the same auditorium in which Marian Anderson had
thrilled her eight years earlier.
In quick succession, she made
her debuts at the major houses: Royal Opera House, Covent Garden in
1963, La Scala in 1964, and the Met in 1965. Her first soprano role,
Verdi's Lady Macbeth, also marked her first role at the Vienna State
Opera. In 1966 she made her debut as Carmen at both the San Francisco
Opera and at the Salzburg Festival, conducted by Herbert von Karajan.
The
'70s saw Bumbry rise up to the challenge of a full transition from
mezzo to soprano roles with a big, dramatic, rich, and distinctive
sound. She sang Salome at Covent Garden in 1970, then her first Tosca
at the Met in 1971, and Jen?fa at La Scala in 1974. By 1977, she was
ready for her first Norma and in 1978 sang both Norma and Adalgisa in
the same production at Covent Garden, opposite Montserrat Caballé and
Josephine Veasey.
At the opening of the new Opéra Bastille in Paris, she appeared in Berlioz'
Les Troyens as Cassandre with Shirley Verrett as Dido for most of the run, but at
the final performance Bumbry sang both the soprano and mezzo roles. Her
operatic farewell came in Lyon in 1997 as Klytämnestra in
Elektra , but her performances continue on the concert stage.
Bumbry
is now a much-valued teacher around the word, but perhaps her most
notable off-stage contribution to music was the creation in the
mid-'90s of her Grace Bumbry Black Musical Heritage Ensemble, a choir
devoted to preserving and performing traditional Negro spirituals and
gospel on the concert stage. 'The spiritual, for me, is the American
classic, as Brahms and Beethoven are European classic," said Bumbry in
a
New York Times interview.
Biography of Grace Bumbry
(Singer, born January 4, 1937, in St. Louis, Missouri)
Her
obsession with singing began when she was still a child. That
obsession--together with a ravishing natural voice, an extraordinary
talent, and unwavering determination--led to one of the most
illustrious operatic careers of the 20th century. What's more, when
most eras can boast four or perhaps five superstar sopranos and even
fewer superstar mezzo-sopranos, for more than three decades and for
millions of opera lovers in the United States and around the world,
Grace Bumbry was both. Her unique sound and her gripping stage
presence, once experienced, simply cannot be forgotten
Moving from one range to the other with breathtaking ease gave her a singular spectrum of roles--from Santuzza (
Cavalleria rusticana ), Ortrud (
Lohengrin ), Dalila (
Samson et Dalila ), Adalgisa (
Norma ), Kundry (
Parsifal ), Eboli (
Don Carlo ), Orfeo and Carmen to Salome, Elisabeth (
Tannhäuser ), Norma, Gioconda, Aïda, Tosca, Medea, Elvira (
Ernani ), Leonora (
Il trovatore and
La forza del destino ), Bess (
Porgy and Bess ), and Turandot.
Her international career began in 1960. She sang Amneris in
Aïda --an
epic challenge even for the most seasoned mezzos. She was just 23 years
old and this was her operatic debut. And that debut wasn't in some
backwater town where a few slip-ups would go unnoticed. It was at the
Paris Opera, a performance that would be covered by the international
press and analyzed note for note by one of the most sophisticated
audiences in the world. It was an unconditional triumph that led to
another major career milestone the following year and a performance
that would change the face of opera forever.
In 1961, Wieland Wagner, grandson of Richard Wagner, cast Bumbry as Venus in a new production of
Tannhäuser .
As the Goddess of Love that seduces Wagner's noble hero, Bumbry would
be the first black opera singer to appear at Bayreuth, the world's most
revered shrine to the great composer and his art. It was a move that
infuriated a good many conservative opera-goers, many calling it a
cultural disgrace. Wieland Wagner shot back: "When I heard Grace
Bumbry, I knew she was the perfect Venus. Grandfather would have been
delighted." The media frenzy that ensued was global. The performance
became one of the most celebrated in history. Thunderous applause
rocked the theater for 30 minutes as the cast was brought back to the
stage for 42 curtain calls. Jacqueline Kennedy subsequently invited her
to sing at the White House. She won the public's adoration and along
the way smashed a racial barrier that would no longer stand in the way
of future generations of opera and classical singers.
Decades
later, Ms. Bumbry was named Honorary UNESCO Ambassador, cited for her
achievements as an artist and for her work in support of education,
health, and youth causes. UNESCO Director-General Federico Mayor said:
"Grace Bumbry has transcended stereotypes of operatic casting. Her
magnificent voice has therefore been a means of opening wide the doors
of the operatic world to blacks and other minorities."
Born
Grace Ann Bumbry in St. Louis, the daughter of a railroad company
freight handler and a school teacher, the future international opera
star started singing around the family piano and then in the family
church youth choir. She graduated from the first black high school west
of the Mississippi, and won a radio talent competition at age 17. Her
prize was a scholarship to the local music conservatory, only the
conservatory was segregated and did not admit Grace into its classrooms
but offered her private lessons instead. Her parents refused. Instead,
she auditioned for Arthur Godfrey's popular "Talent Scouts" program.
Her selection, Verdi's "O don fatale," moved the host not only to
tears, but also to predict that "her name will be one of the most
famous names in music one day." In a touch of supreme irony, that same
day the U.S. Supreme Court announced its decision banning segregated
schools.
She studied at Boston University and later at
Northwestern, where she met her mentor, the acclaimed Lotte Lehmann,
with whom she later studied at the Music Academy of the West in Santa
Barbara, California. At the 1958 Metropolitan Opera auditions, she
shared a first place win with the soprano Martina Arroyo. Later that
year, she made her recital debut in Paris. In 1960, the same year as
the famous Paris
Aïda , she joined the Basel Opera. The famed
impresario, Sol Hurok, brought her back to the United States in 1962
for an extensive national recital tour: a Carnegie Hall debut plus 21
cities, including her home town of St. Louis, where she thrilled 3,000
music lovers in the same auditorium in which Marian Anderson had
thrilled her eight years earlier.
In quick succession, she made
her debuts at the major houses: Royal Opera House, Covent Garden in
1963, La Scala in 1964, and the Met in 1965. Her first soprano role,
Verdi's Lady Macbeth, also marked her first role at the Vienna State
Opera. In 1966 she made her debut as Carmen at both the San Francisco
Opera and at the Salzburg Festival, conducted by Herbert von Karajan.
The
'70s saw Bumbry rise up to the challenge of a full transition from
mezzo to soprano roles with a big, dramatic, rich, and distinctive
sound. She sang Salome at Covent Garden in 1970, then her first Tosca
at the Met in 1971, and Jen?fa at La Scala in 1974. By 1977, she was
ready for her first Norma and in 1978 sang both Norma and Adalgisa in
the same production at Covent Garden, opposite Montserrat Caballé and
Josephine Veasey.
At the opening of the new Opéra Bastille in Paris, she appeared in Berlioz'
Les Troyens as Cassandre with Shirley Verrett as Dido for most of the run, but at
the final performance Bumbry sang both the soprano and mezzo roles. Her
operatic farewell came in Lyon in 1997 as Klytämnestra in
Elektra , but her performances continue on the concert stage.
Bumbry
is now a much-valued teacher around the word, but perhaps her most
notable off-stage contribution to music was the creation in the
mid-'90s of her Grace Bumbry Black Musical Heritage Ensemble, a choir
devoted to preserving and performing traditional Negro spirituals and
gospel on the concert stage. 'The spiritual, for me, is the American
classic, as Brahms and Beethoven are European classic," said Bumbry in
a
New York Times interview.
Biography of Grace Bumbry http://www.kennedy-center.org/images/assets/138_175/GraceBumbry_138.jpg (Singer, born January 4, 1937, in St. Louis, Missouri)Herobsession with singing began when she was still a child. Thatobsession--together with a ravishing natural voice, an extraordinarytalent, and unwavering determination--led to one of the mostillustrious operatic careers of the 20th century. What's more, whenmost eras can boast four or perhaps five superstar sopranos and evenfewer superstar mezzo-sopranos, for more than three decades and formillions of opera lovers in the United States and around the world,Grace Bumbry was both. Her unique sound and her gripping stagepresence, once experienced, simply cannot be forgottenMoving from one range to the other with breathtaking ease gave her a singular spectrum of roles--from Santuzza (Cavalleria rusticana), Ortrud (Lohengrin), Dalila (Samson et Dalila), Adalgisa (Norma), Kundry (Parsifal), Eboli (Don Carlo), Orfeo and Carmen to Salome, Elisabeth (Tannhäuser), Norma, Gioconda, Aïda, Tosca, Medea, Elvira (Ernani), Leonora (Il trovatore and La forza del destino), Bess (Porgy and Bess), and Turandot.Her international career began in 1960. She sang Amneris in Aïda--anepic challenge even for the most seasoned mezzos. She was just 23 yearsold and this was her operatic debut. And that debut wasn't in somebackwater town where a few slip-ups would go unnoticed. It was at theParis Opera, a performance that would be covered by the internationalpress and analyzed note for note by one of the most sophisticatedaudiences in the world. It was an unconditional triumph that led toanother major career milestone the following year and a performancethat would change the face of opera forever. In 1961, Wieland Wagner, grandson of Richard Wagner, cast Bumbry as Venus in a new production of Tannhäuser.As the Goddess of Love that seduces Wagner's noble hero, Bumbry wouldbe the first black opera singer to appear at Bayreuth, the world's mostrevered shrine to the great composer and his art. It was a move thatinfuriated a good many conservative opera-goers, many calling it acultural disgrace. Wieland Wagner shot back: "When I heard GraceBumbry, I knew she was the perfect Venus. Grandfather would have beendelighted." The media frenzy that ensued was global. The performancebecame one of the most celebrated in history. Thunderous applauserocked the theater for 30 minutes as the cast was brought back to thestage for 42 curtain calls. Jacqueline Kennedy subsequently invited herto sing at the White House. She won the public's adoration and alongthe way smashed a racial barrier that would no longer stand in the wayof future generations of opera and classical singers. Decadeslater, Ms. Bumbry was named Honorary UNESCO Ambassador, cited for herachievements as an artist and for her work in support of education,health, and youth causes. UNESCO Director-General Federico Mayor said:"Grace Bumbry has transcended stereotypes of operatic casting. Hermagnificent voice has therefore been a means of opening wide the doorsof the operatic world to blacks and other minorities."BornGrace Ann Bumbry in St. Louis, the daughter of a railroad companyfreight handler and a school teacher, the future international operastar started singing around the family piano and then in the familychurch youth choir. She graduated from the first black high school westof the Mississippi, and won a radio talent competition at age 17. Herprize was a scholarship to the local music conservatory, only theconservatory was segregated and did not admit Grace into its classroomsbut offered her private lessons instead. Her parents refused. Instead,she auditioned for Arthur Godfrey's popular "Talent Scouts" program.Her selection, Verdi's "O don fatale," moved the host not only totears, but also to predict that "her name will be one of the mostfamous names in music one day." In a touch of supreme irony, that sameday the U.S. Supreme Court announced its decision banning segregatedschools.She studied at Boston University and later atNorthwestern, where she met her mentor, the acclaimed Lotte Lehmann,with whom she later studied at the Music Academy of the West in SantaBarbara, California. At the 1958 Metropolitan Opera auditions, sheshared a first place win with the soprano Martina Arroyo. Later thatyear, she made her recital debut in Paris. In 1960, the same year asthe famous Paris Aïda, she joined the Basel Opera. The famedimpresario, Sol Hurok, brought her back to the United States in 1962for an extensive national recital tour: a Carnegie Hall debut plus 21cities, including her home town of St. Louis, where she thrilled 3,000music lovers in the same auditorium in which Marian Anderson hadthrilled her eight years earlier.In quick succession, she madeher debuts at the major houses: Royal Opera House, Covent Garden in1963, La Scala in 1964, and the Met in 1965. Her first soprano role,Verdi's Lady Macbeth, also marked her first role at the Vienna StateOpera. In 1966 she made her debut as Carmen at both the San FranciscoOpera and at the Salzburg Festival, conducted by Herbert von Karajan.The'70s saw Bumbry rise up to the challenge of a full transition frommezzo to soprano roles with a big, dramatic, rich, and distinctivesound. She sang Salome at Covent Garden in 1970, then her first Toscaat the Met in 1971, and Jen?fa at La Scala in 1974. By 1977, she wasready for her first Norma and in 1978 sang both Norma and Adalgisa inthe same production at Covent Garden, opposite Montserrat Caballé andJosephine Veasey.At the opening of the new Opéra Bastille in Paris, she appeared in Berlioz' Les Troyensas Cassandre with Shirley Verrett as Dido for most of the run, but atthe final performance Bumbry sang both the soprano and mezzo roles. Heroperatic farewell came in Lyon in 1997 as Klytämnestra in Elektra, but her performances continue on the concert stage.Bumbryis now a much-valued teacher around the word, but perhaps her mostnotable off-stage contribution to music was the creation in themid-'90s of her Grace Bumbry Black Musical Heritage Ensemble, a choirdevoted to preserving and performing traditional Negro spirituals andgospel on the concert stage. 'The spiritual, for me, is the Americanclassic, as Brahms and Beethoven are European classic," said Bumbry ina New York Times interview.
