Grace Bumbry, Simon Estes, George Shirley Among Inductees to Opera America’s Opera Hall of Fame

Opera America has announced the inaugural group of inductees to its Opera Hall of Fame, meant to recognize outstanding achievements of American artists, administrators, and advocates. The establishment of the Opera America Hall of Fame comes on the organization’s 50th anniversary, and celebrates the progress of the art form. The inductees are Patricia K Beggs, General Director Emerita of Cincinnati Opera; {…}

Sep 14, 2020

Juan Diego Flórez, Lawrence Brownlee, Lisette Oropesa, Martina Arroyo, J’Nai Bridges Headline Top 10 Operas to Stream This Week

With opera companies returning in full force digitally, this week’s selections will highlight a mix of repertory staples with some unique and experimental new works. Before we kick off our list, don’t forget to check out important discussions taking place regarding issues of race and equality in opera with such programs as Karen Slack’s “KikiKonversations,” Kenneth Overton’s “Black Opera Live,” and Mark {…}

Sep 1, 2020

Black Opera Productions to Present ‘Jessye Norman at 75: A Celebration’ Virtual Gala

Black Opera Productions has announced a virtual gala aimed at celebrating the career of Jessye Norman. Entitled “Jessye Norman at 75: A Celebration,” will take place on Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2020 at 6 p.m. ET. The program will feature virtual dedication from around the country with performances filmed at the Winter Garden at Brookfield Place. The program will be hosted {…}

Jul 23, 2020

Helmut Deutsch’s Memoir to Get English-Language Translation in Autumn 2020

(Credit: Shirley Suarez) Famed pianist Helmut Deutsch will be releasing a new memoir that focuses on his experiences as an accompanist. “Memoir of an Accompanist” will be released by Kahn & Averill in Autumn 2020 in an English-language translation Richard Stokes, a Professor of Lieder at the Royal Academy of Music. The book details Deutsch’s career, which has spanned over {…}

Jun 28, 2020

Black Opera – How Jonathan Estabrooks, Miranda Plant & Kenneth Overton Are Telling the Story of a Generation of Legendary Black Artists

Back in 2018, baritone Jonathan Estabrooks received a call from Lynne Block, the daughter of pre-eminent bass-baritone Simon Estes. She wanted to see if Estabrooks would work with her on a short documentary about her father’s life. Estabrooks, an internationally renowned performer, was also actively involved in the recording industry, creating music-related documentaries, hybrid music videos, and directing a TV {…}

Sep 20, 2019

Anna Netrebko, Leonard Warren, Leonie Rysanek & The Famed Interpreters of ‘Macbeth’ At the Met Opera

(Credit: Ken Howard / Metropolitan Opera) Verdi’s “Macbeth” may be a major repertory staple, but its Met history is actually not as extensive as one might imagine. In sum, the Verdi opera has appeared just 105 times in the company’s history. When it returns on Wednesday, Sept. 25, the company will be reviving it for the first time in five {…}

Sep 18, 2019

Simon Estes, Grace Bumbry, Angel Blue, Leona Mitchell & The Met Opera’s Historical Interpreters Of ‘Porgy and Bess’

(Photo by Paola Kudacki/Metropolitan Opera) The Metropolitan Opera will open its 2019-20 season with a new production of “Porgy and Bess.” The showcase on Sept. 23, 2019 will be the 55th in the company’s history and by the end of the run, the company will be inching toward 70 total performances of the opera. As we prepare to go forward {…}

Jan 4, 2019

Artist Profile: Grace Bumbry, Pioneering Mezzo & Soprano

Few mezzo-sopranos have successfully made the transition to becoming top sopranos. Grace Bumbry managed that. She was also a major figure in helping black singers find their rightful place on the opera stage in an era where segregation ran rampant. Born on Jan. 4, 1937, the mezzo was born in St. Louis and won a local radio competition at age {…}

May 4, 2018

Grace Bumbry To Be Awarded Honorary Doctorate At The Juilliard School

The Juilliard School announced that opera singer Grace Bumbry will be honored with an honorary doctorate in music on May 18, 2018. The school announced that alongside Bumbry, alumnus Wynton Marsalis, trumpeter, director of Juilliard Jazz Studies, and artistic director of Jazz at Lincoln Center, will address the graduates at the school’s 113th commencement ceremony. The ceremony will also see Juilliard {…}

Jun 10, 2017

BBC Cardiff Singer Of The World Competition 2017: Kiri Te Kanawa & Grace Bumbry Among Judges

We know the performers. Now let’s find out a little about the people that will be charged with picking the winners. The 2017 edition of the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World judging panel features a total of eight major figures, all of them of international renown. Here is a quick rundown of the eight judges. Grace Bumbry Bumbry is one {…}

Feb 13, 2017

Black History Month 2017 Part 3: Historical Black Singers That Changed the Opera World

For the past two weeks we have honored the black singers making strides in today’s diverse opera world. But unfortunately, as has been the case in many social situations, the opera world was not always that diverse and the black community was not always a lock for representation on the biggest stages. But throughout the years major operatic pioneers manage {…}