Jessye Norman Talks Racism, President Obama, And Hillary Clinton

Politically Inclined: Soprano Jessye Norman is ready to support Hillary Clinton for 2016. (Photo: Sarah Lee/Guardian)

"Looking back at her childhood, the opera star Jessye Norman says she cannot remember a time she was not trying to sing. 'I liked to put on some of my mother’s costume jewellery and a feather boa or something, and pretend I was some grand singer,' she recalled recently. Today, although Norman no longer performs in full-scale opera, she is solidly established as a 'grande dame'. Last week, Norman, 69, stormed centre-stage once again with some full-throated support for her friend Hillary Clinton’s presidential bid. 'I would certainly support this enormous brain,

The soprano seen here in December 1997 with President 
Bill Clinton and First Lady Hillary Clinton at the Kennedy
Center Honors during the playing of the National Anthem.

this incredibly generous heart this amazing woman,' she proclaimed. The celebrated soprano’s bold contribution to the presidential race followed fast on her recent public complaint that many attacks on Barack Obama’s record are fuelled by hidden racism. She alleged that 'racialism was practised at the highest levels of government', adding: 'We should be better than that, we should be bigger than that.' For Norman, the culprits are mostly 'on the other side of the aisle' – Republican Congress members who have plotted against President Obama since his inauguration, she claims. If the Democrats felt the lack of a Wagnerian Valkyrie on their side, the role is now filled. And what’s more, they have found someone who can bridge the awkward gap between Ms Clinton’s supporters and Obama’s people. Norman is that rare thing, a prominent member of both camps.....Political awakening came young. While she has described her childhood home in Augusta, Georgia, as 'our little Garden of Eden', her middle-class, church-going family were involved in the civil rights struggle. So Norman and her four siblings were aware, though sheltered from the harsher side of segregation: 'I came from a very strong core of people who told us, practically on a daily basis,

Jessye Norman receiving the 2009 National Medal of Arts
 from President Barack Obama at an East Room ceremony 
at the White House.

that, ‘You are as good as any other of God’s creations, and you will hear something different when you’re outside of this house but know that the truth is here’.' Her first experience of 'American apartheid' came as a five-year-old on a station platform, waiting in her Sunday best for a train to take her to visit relatives in Philadelphia. ;I of course had too much energy to sit there and I saw the sign and it did say ‘whites only’ and I thought, well, there wasn’t anybody sitting there, so what difference would it make if I were to go over there and sit and play? Why would it bother anybody? Of course my mother and father took a different view.' She understood more later when she saw President Eisenhower on one of his regular golfing trips to Augusta. Watching him walk into church, her father informed her they were not allowed to worship in the same place. Later, as an adult, she kept a journal, noting down instances of casual racism. She stopped when it began to depress her: 'It became clear to me after doing this for a while that I wasn’t serving any purpose except to make myself sad.' Further political insight came when she sang in Berlin, regularly passing through Checkpoint Charlie. She was impressed by the love of the arts she found in East Berlin. 'Even though they lived

In 2013, Jessye Norman sang during a ceremony honoring 
the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington for U.S. 
Rep. John Lewis, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi,
 and Speaker of the House John Boehner. 

under the oppressive regimes, their spirits were not squelched'....Landmarks of her career include singing at both Ronald Reagan’s and Bill Clinton’s second inaugurations and a recording of Wagner’s Liebestod in the late 1980s. Her farewell performance at the Met in the Makropulos Case was hailed as a great achievement in 1996, but since then she has focused on highly lucrative recitals." [Source] Click here to see a list of other opera singers that have performed at Presidential Inaugurations since 1941. Watch videos of Jessye Norman singing Copland's "Simple Gifts" at the Inauguration of Ronald Reagan in 1985 and a medley of spirituals for the Inauguration of Bill Clinton in 1997. Other political or government-related performances highlighted during her career include singing for Queen Elizabeth II's sixtieth birthday celebration in 1986; performing the French national anthem, 'La Marseillaise,' to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the French Revolution on July 14, 1989; singing at Tchaikovsky's 150th Birthday Gala in Leningrad in 1990; performing for the 700th Celebration Party of Swiss National Day in 1991; singing at the funeral of former first lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis in 1994; performed at the opening ceremonies of the 1996 Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta, singing "Faster, Higher, Stronger"; On June 28, 2001, she and light lyric coloratura soprano Kathleen Battle performed Vangelis' Mythodea at the Temple of Olympian Zeus in Athens, Greece; On March 11, 2002, Norman performed "America the Beautiful" at a service unveiling two monumental columns of light at the site of the former World Trade Center, as a memorial for the victims of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on New York City. [Source]

Jessye Norman Staggering 1979 Performance Of "Vier Letzte Lieder"

"Une magnifique interprétation des 'Vier letzte Lieder' de Richard Strauss par la soprano Américaine Jessye Norman et Wolfgang Sawallisch à la tête de l'Orchestre de la Suisse romande. Ce concert du 19 Septembre 1979 est donné à l'occasion de la manifestation Telecom 79." [Source] Watch the video performance after the jump.

Jessye Norman Honors Martin Luther King Jr. With "Amazing Grace"

Coffee Break: Vocalise-Étude en forme de Habanera By Ravel

"L'Indolence" by Frederick Arthur Bridgman (1847-1928)

Lush Meets Lush: The transcendent voice of Jessye Norman wraps itself in the intoxicating perfume of Maurice Ravel's romantic music in G minor composed in 1907. The composer marked the score: "Presque lent et avec indolence." This music is meant to be luxurious, but not self-indulgent. 

"The Strain" Creeps Down The Baroque Opera Path Of Purcell

The young Abraham begs forgiveness for taking the life of his true love after he left her to seek The Master.

As previously discussed, The Strain on FX continues to include opera as part of the show's drama. Episode 12, "Last Rites," aired September 28, 2014, with the climax featuring an excerpt from Henry Purcell's only all-sung dramatic work, Dido and Aeneas. The piece "When I am laid in Earth" plays under the scene of a present, and past, beheading of loved ones fallen prey to the strain. More commonly known as "Dido's Lament," the aria truly expresses the dictionary definition of the word: "la·ment verb \lə-ˈment\: to express sorrow, regret, or unhappiness about something." The music begins as viewers realize that Nora (Mia Maestro) must decapitate her

Present-day Abraham bids farewell to his love.

mother Mariela (Anne Betancourt) as she has recently been turned by Gabriel (Jack Kesy) in an attack on the pawn shop. As the swell of the music increases, we travel in a flashback to 1967 as a younger Abraham (Jim Watson) is faced with having to execute his wife Miriam and their children since they too have been turned and are ready to kill him. As her lifeless body lays on the floor, Abraham takes a knife and cuts her open to remove her heart, which now resides in a jar filled with fluid in the basement of the pawn shop. As Eichorst (Richard Sammel) infiltrates the pawn shop and seeks to execute Abraham, he is forced to leave the only remaining thing in this world that he truly loves: Miriam's heart. As you read the synopsis of Purcell's opera, it is easy to see the parallels to the story line of the show: Miriam as Dido, Abraham as Aeneas, Eichorst as Spirit (née Mercury), and The Master as The Sorcerer. Even the closing lines of the opera after Dido's death include the theme of heart: "The chorus and orchestra conclude the opera by ordering the 'cupids to scatter roses on her tomb, soft and gentle as her heart. Keep here your watch, and never never never part.'" If the show wanted to get a bit creepier,  perhaps they could have used Symphony #4 "Chiaroscuro" by Gloria Coates which samples the theme of Purcell's aria in a much darker way. Watch the full episode of The Strain by clicking here. More information about Dido and Aeneas, as well as a video performance of Jessye Norman performing "Dido's Lament," can be found after the jump. [Source]

Thomas Eichorst looks down on what has been Miriam's tomb and Abraham's safeguard.

American soprano Jessye Norman as Dido in a costume
designed by Pet Halmen for the l'Opéra de Paris
 (Photo: Zoë Dominic)

DIDO'S LAMENT
"The opening recitative secco, 'Thy hand, Belinda,' is accompanied by continuo only. Word painting is applied on the text 'darkness' and 'death' which is presented with chromaticism, symbolic of death. 'Dido's Lament' opens with a descending chromatic fourth line, the ground bass, which is repeated eleven times throughout the aria, thus structuring the piece in the form of a ciaccona. The meter is 3/2 in the key of G minor. Henry Purcell has applied word painting on the words 'laid,' which is also given a descending chromatic line portraying death and agony, and 'Remember me,' which is presented in a syllabic text setting and repeated with its last presentation leaping in register with a sudden crescendo displaying her desperate cry with urgency as she prepares for her fate: death. In one interpretation Dido's relationship with Aeneas is portrayed in this moment as an 'apocalyptic romance.' The text, and the Purcell opera are alluding to the Roman legend of the Aeneid, the story of a Trojan Warrior Aeneas, seeking Italy in order to settle there and secure his son's lineage. Aeneas is blown off course from Sicily, and lands on the shores of Northern Africa, in Carthage, a recently settled city of former Tyrians. Their queen is Dido, with whom Aeneas has a love affair, before departing for Italy and leaving Dido alone. She becomes so distraught that she orders for a large pyre to be placed, on which she plans to impale herself, and be set ablaze so that Aeneas will see from his ship. This is perhaps the most poignant part of the legend, and ends at the culmination of Book IV." [Source]

Operatic Pairing Of Beyoncé And Givenchy Director Riccardo Tisci

Stars and Stripes Forever: Beyoncé shows her patriotism
 in Paris, France, during the last concert on her "On the Run"
 tour with husband, and fellow musician, Jay-Z.

Not since Jessye Norman was draped in the French flag for the country's bicentennial celebration has fashion been so operatically inspired as when pop superstar Beyoncé closed her On the Run tour with husband Jay-Z by singing "Forever Young" wearing a bustle replica of the American flag designed by Riccardo Tisci for Givenchy in only black and white. The drama created by this flowing garment is simultaneously rebellious, patriotic, militant, and haute couture. This isn't Mr. Tisci's first operatic gesture with fashion, he previously collaborated with artist Marina Abramovic at the Opéra de Paris at the Palais Garnier in 2013: "For his first collaboration with the Paris Palais Garnier de l'Opéra National, Givenchy's creative director Riccardo Tisci has signed the costumes for Maurice Ravel's Le Boléro ballet. In a hostel in Spain, a gypsy traveler dances on a table surrounded by people. Her speed and rhythm gradually entrances the onlookers and carries them away in an intoxication of instinctive dance. Maurice Ravel's Le Boléro, written in 1928, comes to the Paris Opéra Garnier from May 2 until June 3 and Riccardo Tisci, creative director at French label Givenchy, has created dance costumes for the entire company. It is the first time the celebrated designer has worked with the Palais Garnier on a personal project of this scale and the resulting costumes combine obscurity and romanticism in equal measure. The white, billowing dresses and capes are spectacular when in flight on stage, while the fine, detailed embroidery on the transparent leotards reveals the human skeleton that moves gracefully underneath, breathing life into this theatrical interpretation. Choreographers Sidi Larbi

Andre Balaz, Riccardo Tisci, and Marina Abramovic at The
Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute Benefit
Celebrating "Punk: Chaos to Couture" in 2013.

Cherkaoui and Damien Jalet have entrusted Marina Abramovic with the show's production. The Art Corporel choreographer aims to give the human spirit a new sense of freedom, redefining limits through this unique interpretation of Maurice Ravel's masterpiece...." [Source] During the time the duo was working together, Dazed Digital interviewed Marina Abramovic and Riccardo Tisci. Once question in particular stands out:


Can you remember your first experience of opera?
Marina Abramovic: My mother was very strict. The only thing I read was the literature she gave to me; I certainly wasn’t aware of the Beatles or the Rolling Stones. My education was Bach, Mozart, Vivaldi and Tchaikovsky and opera. I think the first opera I saw was La Traviata, in Belgrade.
Riccardo Tisci: My first opera was also La Traviata! I came from a poor family so we never had the money to go to (Milan opera house) La Scala. I remember having goosebumps; I remember wanting to cry. I remember thinking it would be my dream to design costumes for La Scala or l’Opéra (in Paris). [Source]

Perhaps one of the finer opera houses in the world will snap up Riccardo Tisci to create costumes for a new production. In the meantime, there might just be a diva somewhere wearing one of his couture designs. Stay tuned. Watch the full video of Beyoncé performing "Forever Young" in the gorgeous creation by Riccardo Tisci, as well as some beautiful still photos, after the jump.

Tavis Smiley Interviews Renée Fleming About Her Singing

Renée Fleming sat down with Tavis Smiley in Los Angeles to discuss a variety of topics including what it's like to have André Previn write a piece specifically for the soprano; getting boxed into specific singing genres by critics; the "valleys" of her career; how her voice is holding up to the demands of time; singing the national anthem; singing with honesty; the usefulness of critics; what is going to help the arts survive in the future; among other topics discussed. Watch the video of the interview after the jump, as well as a bonus of an earlier

episode of Tavis Smiley interviewing soprano Jessye Norman from 2011. And in case you missed the Kennedy Center Honors tribute to André Previn in 1998 at which Ms. Fleming sang "I Want Magic!" from the composer's operatic rendition of A Streetcar Named Desire, click the image on the right to launch the video of the performance. For more information about Tavis Smiley and to see more of his interviews, go to PBS online by clicking here.

Listen To Jessye Norman Discuss "Marvelous Living" On NPR

The soprano signing copies of her book in the Metropolitan Opera gift shop. (Photo: Rex Bonomelli/Facebook)

"When it comes to singers, there have been few voices considered as majestic as soprano Jessye Norman's. The celebrated opera singer from Augusta, GA, has meticulously built a career on her own terms, choosing her projects intelligently and carefully guarding her vocal resources, which have often been described as a force of nature. Now the 68-year-old artist can add author to her list of accomplishments. Norman has written a memoir, Stand Up Straight and Sing! From experiencing racism as a child to watching the fall of the Berlin Wall to her storied opera career, Norman talks with NPR's Rachel Martin about the book, her life and her music with an openness rarely heard before in her interviews." Listen to the audio by clicking here. [Source] Additional audio interviews for WQXR can be heard below:

Opera Stars Pack Kennedy Center For Martina Arroyo Tribute

Denyce Graves

Renée Fleming

Jessye Norman

Joseph Calleja performs "Celeste Aida"

Sondra Radvanovsky performs "O Patria Mia"

Joseph Calleja and Sondra Radvanovsky sing the "Triumphal Scene" from Verdi's Aida

Vintage Concert Footage: Jessye Norman and Kathleen Battle

Springtime in Perth, Australia, For Jessye Norman Recital

Norman singing at the Montreux
Jazz Festival in 2010

"Iconic soprano Jessye Norman has created her own niche as a result of exceptional performances in opera and classical music. Her extensive repertoire and passion for singing will be on show at the Perth Concert Hall on Monday April 23 from 8pm. This recital will feature renowned New York pianist Mark Markham and includes songs by Duke Ellington, George Gershwin and pays homage to performers including Ella Fitzgerald, Lena Horne and Josephine Baker. Buy your tickets here.
[Source]

Méphistophélès Celebrates the Holidays with Bulgari

Perched on the balcony between the ties and sunglasses, René Pape appeared last night at the famous jewelry-maker Bulgari on 5th Avenue in New York City to perform a set of Christmas songs for an audience that included opera soprano Jessye Norman and rock star Fred Schneider (of B52's fame). He was accompanied by Brian Zeger who is the Head of Vocal Studies at the Juilliard School of Music as well as the Executive Director of the Lindemann Program at the Metropolitan Opera. He might want to watch his back, there is a newfound groupie that might be waiting at the stage door of his next Faust performance! All photos (more after the jump) by Billy Farrell Agency and can be purchased here.

Kathleen Battle, Jessye Norman & Denyce Graves Share Stage

Diva Trio (left to right): Kathleen Battle, Jessye Norman and Denyce Graves (Photo: Robert Isacson)

"Here’s an idea for a new tour: The Three Divas. Kathleen Battle, Denyce Graves and Jessye Norman sang at Ford’s Theatre Tuesday night — the first time the three sopranos ever performed on the same stage. Ford’s chairman Wayne Reynolds wanted something special to honor Singapore’s first prime minister Lee Kuan Yew, receiving the theater’s Lincoln Medal. 'I heard he loves opera,' Reynolds told us. 'What could be greater than the three greatest African-American opera singers?' With the VIP audience (Henry Kissinger, Bill Daley, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Eric Holder, Roy Blunt, Brent Scowcroft and James Wolfensohn) sitting on the historic stage, each of the singers performed something inspired by Abraham Lincoln. Understatement was not on the program. Graves was first with an elegant 'Battle Hymn of the Republic.' Battle emerged next and began an a cappella version of 'Swing Low, Sweet Chariot' (finishing with a bold gesture to the box where Lincoln was slain), then slipped into a medley of 'Give Me Jesus' and 'Wade in the Water.' Norman brought the mini-concert home with 'Amazing Grace' and 'He’s Got the Whole World In His Hands.' They emerged together for a standing ovation. No backstage tantrums or rivalries? Not even close, Graves told us at dinner: 'Sadly, we didn’t have anything to do together. I kept telling them, ‘Let’s do the Rosenkavalier trio.’” Reynolds, for one, is ready to send the three on the road: 'I think they’d be great together.'" [Source]

David Daniels Kicks Off 2011 Jessye Norman Masterclass Series

The countertenor presented a master class at the University of Michigan's School of Music as part of the Jessye Norman Masterclass Series. The event took place at Britton Recital Hall on September 23, 2011. David Daniels studied music at the Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music and attended the University of Michigan to receive his graduate degree. It was during this time that he transitioned from singing tenor to countertenor roles while studying with American tenor George Shirley and British soprano Lorna Haywood. This season Mr. Daniels can be seen at the San Francisco Opera in Händel's Xerxes, the Metropolitan Opera in The Enchanted Island (a pastiche of Baroque composers) and the Lyric Opera of Chicago in Händel's Rinaldo.
The program and singers from the master class with Mr. Daniels in Michigan:
"Svegliatevi nel core" Giulio Cesare (Händel)
Stephanie Schoenhofer, Mezzo soprano
"Un'aura amorosa" Così fan tutte (Mozart)
Justin Berkowitz, tenor
"Lord Jesus Christ" Prayers of Kierkegaard (Barber)
Kimwana Doner, soprano
"Vecchia Zimarra" La Bohème (Puccini)
Benjamin Sieverding, Bass
"Nacqui all'affanno...Non più mesta" La Cenerentola (Rossini)
Sarah David, Mezzo-soprano

JESSYE NORMAN AND MUSIC EDUCATION

Ms. Norman at 1989 Michigan commencement.

The soprano's interest in music education is widely known and greatly praised. The Jessye Norman School of the Arts in her hometown of Augusta, Georgia, was founded as an after-school program for talented middle school students. There has also been a fellowship set up at the University of Michigan School of Music as well as funding of the Jessye Norman Masterclass Series at her alma mater. "At the age of 16, Norman entered the Marian Anderson Vocal Competition in Philadelphia which, although she did not win, led to her being offered a full scholarship to Howard University, in Washington, D.C. While at Howard, Norman sang in the university chorus and as a professional soloist at the Lincoln Temple United Church of Christ, while studying voice with Carolyn Grant. In 1965, along with 32 other female students and 4 female faculty, she became a founding member of the Delta

The soprano with Gustav Meier in 1978 after one
of their many concerts at the University of Michigan.

Nu Chapter of Sigma Alpha Iota. In 1966, she won the National Society of Arts and Letters singing competition.[7] After graduating in 1967 with a degree in music, she began graduate-level studies at the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore and later at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan, from which she earned a Masters Degree in 1968. During this time Norman studied voice with Elizabeth Mannion and Pierre Bernac" [Source, Source, Source, Source, Source]
Watch a recent interview of Jessye Norman on The Tavis Smiley Show on PBS:

Listen to music clips of the Michigan voice teachers and alumni mentioned in this posting after the jump.

Happy Birthday: Jessye Norman

"D'ici, je vois la mer immense"
L'Africaine (Meyerbeer)

"Jessye Mae Norman was born on September 15, 1945 in Augusta, Georgia to Silas Norman, an insurance salesman, and Janie King-Norman, a school teacher. She was one of five children in a family of amateur musicians; her mother and grandmother were both pianists, her father a singer in a local choir. Norman's mother insisted that she start piano lessons at an early age. Norman attended Charles T. Walker Elementary School, A.R. Johnson Junior High School, and Lucy C. Laney Senior High School, all in downtown Augusta. Norman proved to be a talented singer as a young child, singing gospel songs at Mount Calvary Baptist Church at the age of four. At the age of nine, Norman heard opera for the first time on the radio and was immediately an opera fan. She started listening to recordings of Marian Anderson and Leontyne Price whom Norman credits as being inspiring figures in her career. At the age of 16, Norman entered the Marian Anderson Vocal Competition in Philadelphia which,

"E Susanna non vien!...Dove sono"
Le Nozze di Figaro (Mozart)

although she did not win, led to her being offered a full scholarship to Howard University, in Washington, D.C. While at Howard, Norman sang in the university chorus and as a professional soloist at the Lincoln Temple United Church of Christ, while studying voice with Carolyn Grant. In 1965, along with 32 other female students and 4 female faculty, she became a founding member of the Delta Nu Chapter of Sigma Alpha Iota. In 1966, she won the National Society of Arts and Letters singing competition. After graduating in 1967 with a degree in music, she began graduate-level studies at the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore and later at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan, from which she earned a Masters Degree in 1968. During this time Norman studied voice with Elizabeth Mannion and Pierre Bernac. After graduating, Norman, like many young musicians at the time, moved to Europe to establish

"Dich teure halle" Tannhäuser (Wagner)

herself. In 1969 she won the ARD International Music Competition in Munich and landed a three-year contract with the Deutsche Oper Berlin. She made her operatic début that same year as Elisabeth in Richard Wagner's Tannhäuser at the Deutsche Oper Berlin. Critics at the time described Norman as having 'the greatest voice since the German soprano Lotte Lehmann.' In subsequent years Norman performed with various German and Italian opera companies appearing often as princesses or other noble figures. Norman was exceptional at portraying a commanding and noble bearing. This ability was partly due to her uncommon height and size, but more so as a result of her unique, rich, and powerful voice. Norman's range was uncommonly wide, encompassing all female voice

"Ah, je vais mourir"
Les Troyens (Berlioz)

registers from contralto to high dramatic soprano. In 1970 she made her Italian début in Florence in Handel's Deborah. In 1971, Norman made her début at the Maggio Musicale in Florence appearing as Sélica in Meyerbeer's L'Africaine. That year she also sang the role of Countess Almaviva in Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro at the Berlin Festival and recorded the role that same year with the BBC Orchestra under the direction of Colin Davis. The recording was a finalist for the Montreux International Record Award competition and brought Norman much exposure to music listeners in Europe and the United States. In 1972, Norman debuted at La Scala, where she sang the title role in Verdi's Aida and at London's Royal Opera at Covent Garden, where she sang the role of Cassandra in

"Es gibt ein Reich"
Ariadne auf Naxos (Strauss)

Berlioz's Les Troyens. Norman appeared as Aida again in a concert version that same year in her first well-publicized American performance at the Hollywood Bowl. This was followed by an all-Wagner concert at the Tanglewood Festival in Lenox, Massachusetts, and a recital tour of the country, after which Norman went back to Europe for several engagements. Norman returned to the US briefly to make her first-ever New York City recital where she appeared as part of the 'Great Performers' series at Alice Tully Hall in Lincoln Center in 1973. In 1975 Norman moved to London and had no staged opera appearances for the next five years. While she gave as the reason for her withdrawal the need to fully develop her voice, others felt that this was a period of concern for her weight and thus her stage image. However, Norman remained internationally active

"When I am laid in Earth"
Dido and Aeneas (Purcell)

as a recitalist and soloist in works such as Mendelssohn's Elijah and Franck's Les Béatitudes. Norman returned to North America again in 1976 and 1977 to make an extensive concert tour, but it was not until many years later that she would make her US Opera début or appear frequently in the United States. Only after Norman had established herself in Europe's leading opera houses and festivals—including the Edinburgh Festival, Salzburg Festival, Aix-en-Provence Festival, and the Stuttgart Opera—did Norman set out to establish herself in the United States. Norman toured Europe throughout the 1970s, giving recitals of works by Schubert, Mahler, Wagner, Brahms, Satie, Messiaen, and several contemporary American composers, to great critical acclaim. In October 1980 Norman returned to the operatic stage in the title role of Richard

Vier Letzte Lieder (Strauss)

Strauss's Ariadne auf Naxos at the Hamburg State Opera in Germany. Norman made her United States opera début in 1982 with the Opera Company of Philadelphia, appearing in Stravinsky's Oedipus Rex as Jocasta and in Purcell's Dido and Aeneas as Dido. Norman followed these with her début at the Metropolitan Opera in 1983, appearing in Berlioz's Les Troyens as both Cassandra and Dido, a production which marked the company's 100th anniversary season. According to the Encyclopædia Britannica, 'By the mid-1980s she was one of the most popular and highly regarded dramatic soprano singers in the world.' She was invited to sing at the second inauguration of U.S. President Ronald Reagan on January 21, 1985, an invitation which she debated accepting, as an African American and a Democrat (as well as a nuclear disarmament activist). In the end,

"Nonn' erubescite, reges"
Oedipus Rex (Stravinsky)

she did accept and sang the folk song 'Simple Gifts.' In 1986, Norman sang at Elizabeth II's sixtieth birthday celebration. That same year Norman appeared as a soloist in Strauss's Vier Letzte Lieder with the Berlin Philharmonic during its tour of the USA. In 1987, Norman joined the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and Herbert von Karajan in possibly the greatest rendition of the Liebestod from Tristan und Isolde by Wagner in a historical concert (filmed and recorded audio by Deutsche Grammophon) at the Salzburg Festival. The concert was then repeated some weeks later in Berlin, with Karajan and the Berlin Philharmonic. Over the years Norman has not been afraid to expand her talent into less familiar areas. In 1988 she sang a concert performance of Poulenc's one-act opera La Voix Humaine (The Human Voice), based on Jean Cocteau's 1930 play of the same name. During the 1980s and early 1990s, Norman produced numerous award-winning recordings, and many of her

Wesendonck Lieder (Wagner)

performances were televised. In addition to opera, many of Norman's recordings and performances during this time focused upon art songs, lieder, oratorios, and orchestral works. Her interpretation of Strauss's Vier Letzte Lieder is especially acclaimed. Its slowness is controversial, but the tonal qualities of her voice are ideal for these final works of the Romantic German lieder tradition. Norman is also known for the Gurrelieder of Arnold Schoenberg and for Schoenberg's one-woman opera Erwartung. In 1989 Norman appeared at the Metropolitan Opera for a performance of Erwartung that marked the company's first single-character production. This opera was presented in a double bill with Bartók's Bluebeard's Castle with Norman playing the role of Judith. Both operas were broadcast nationally. That same year, Norman was the

"Great Day" (trad. spiritual)

featured soloist with Zubin Mehta and the New York Philharmonic Orchestra in its opening concert of its 148th season, which was telecast live to the nation by PBS. Norman also performed at the Hong Kong Cultural Center opening and gave a recital at Taiwan's National Concert Hall. Also in 1989, Norman was invited to sing the French national anthem, 'La Marseillaise,' to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the French Revolution on July 14. Her rendition was delivered at the Place de la Concorde in Paris, in a costume designed by Azzedine Alaïa as part of an elaborate pageant orchestrated by avant-garde designer Jean-Paul Goude. Since the early 1990s Norman has lived in Croton-on-Hudson, New York in a secluded estate known as 'The White Gates' which she purchased from television personality Allen Funt. In 1990, Norman performed at Tchaikovsky's 150th Birthday Gala in Leningrad and she made her

"Sanctus" Messe solennelle (Gounod)

Lyric Opera of Chicago début in the title role of Gluck's Alceste. In 1991 Norman sang for the 700th Celebration Party of Swiss National Day. That same year, she performed in a concert recorded live with Lawrence Foster and the Lyon Opera Orchestra amid the tantalizing acoustics at Paris's Notre Dame cathedral. In 1992 Norman sang Jocasta in Stravinsky's Oedipus Rex at the opening operatic production at the new Saito Kinen Festival in the Japanese Alps near Matsumoto. In 1993, Norman sang the title role in the Metropolitan Opera's production of Ariadne auf Naxos. In 1994, Norman sang at the funeral of former first lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. In September 1995, she was again the featured soloist with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, this time under Kurt Masur's direction, in a gala concert telecast live to the nation by PBS making the opening of the orchestra's 153rd season. In 1996 Norman gave a highly

"Amazing Grace" trad. hymn (Newton)

lauded performance as the title character in the Metropolitan Opera's premier production of Janáček's The Makropulos Case. Starting in the mid 1990s, Norman began to move away from soprano stage-roles migrating heavily toward mezzo soprano roles. In January 1997, Norman performed at the second inauguration of U.S. President Bill Clinton. Jessye Norman's 1998–1999 performances included a recital at Carnegie Hall in New York City, which had an unusual program incorporating sacred music of Duke Ellington, scored for jazz combo, string quartet and piano, and featuring the Alvin Ailey Repertory Dance Ensemble. Other performances during the season included Das Lied von der Erde, with Seiji Ozawa and the Boston Symphony Orchestra, a television special for Christmas filmed in her home town of Augusta, Georgia, as well as a spring recital

"Erlkönig" (Schubert)

"Gretchen am Spinnrade" (Schubert)

"Ave Maria" (Schubert)

tour, which included performances in Tel Aviv. The following season also brought performances of the sacred music of Duke Ellington to London and Vienna, together with a summer European tour, which included performances at the Salzburg Festival. In 1999 Norman collaborated with choreographer-dancer Bill T. Jones in a project for New York City's Lincoln Center, called 'How! Do! We! Do!' In 2000, Norman later released an album, I Was Born in Love with You, featuring the songs of Michel Legrand. The recording, reviewed as a jazz crossover project, featured Legrand on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Grady Tate on drums. In February and March 2001, Norman was featured at Carnegie Hall in a three-part concert series. With James Levine as her pianist, the concerts were a significant arts event, replete with an 80-page program booklet featuring a newly commissioned watercolor portrait of Norman by David Hockney. In 2002, Norman

"Kling!" (Strauss)

"Befreit" (Strauss)

"Morgen" (Strauss)

performed at the opening of Singapore's Esplanade Theatres on the bay. On March 11, 2002, Norman performed 'America the Beautiful' at a memorial service unveiling two monumental columns of light at the site of the former World Trade Center, as a memorial for the victims of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on New York City. In 2002 she returned to Augusta to announce that she would fund a pilot school of the arts for children in Richmond County. Classes commenced at St. John United Methodist Church in the fall of 2003. In November 2004, a documentary of Miss Norman's life and work to date, was created. This film, directed by André Heller, with Othmar Schmiderer as director of photography and produced by DOR-FILM of Vienna, chronicles the music, the social and political issues, the inspiration and dreams that have combined to make this singer unique in her profession. In 2006, Norman collaborated with the modern dance choreographer, Trey McIntyre, for a special performance during the summer at the Vail, Colorado Dance Festival.

"Von ewiger Liebe" (Brahms)

Zwei Gesänge, Op. 91 (Brahms)

"Klage II" Neun Gesänge (Brahms)

In March 2009, Ms. Norman curated 'Honor!,' a celebration of the African American cultural legacy. The festival honors the courageous African American trailblazers and artists of the past with concerts, recitals, lectures, panel discussions, and exhibitions hosted by Carnegie Hall, the Apollo Theater, The Cathedral of St. John the Divine, and other sites around New York City. After more than thirty years on stage, Norman no longer performs ensemble opera, concentrating instead on recitals and concerts. In addition to her busy performance schedule, Jessye Norman serves on the Boards of Directors for Carnegie Hall, the New York Public Library, the New York Botanical Garden, City-Meals-on-Wheels in New York City, Dance Theatre of Harlem, National Music Foundation, and Elton John AIDS Foundation. She is a member of the board as well as National spokesperson for the LUPUS Foundation, and spokesperson for Partnership for the Homeless. And in her home town of Augusta, Georgia, she serves on the Board

"Oft denk' ich, sie sind nur ausgegangen"
Kindertotenlieder (Mahler)

"Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen"
Rückert Lieder (Mahler)

"Wo die Schönen Trompeten Blasen"
Des Knaben Wunderhorn (Mahler)

of Trustees of Paine College and the Augusta Opera Association. Throughout her career, Norman has spent much of her time giving recitals and concerts and continues to do so today. In addition to her operatic recitals, Norman has given regular recitals encompassing the classical German repertory as well as contemporary masterpieces, such as Schoenberg's Gurrelieder and the French moderns, which she invariably performed in the original tongue. This combination of scholarship and artistry contributed to her consistently successful career as one of the most versatile concert and operatic singers of her time. Often cited for her innovative programming and fervent advocacy of contemporary music, she has earned the recognition of 'one of those once-in-a-generation singers who isn’t simply following in the footsteps of others, but is staking out her own niche in the history of singing.' Norman frequently collaborates with the world's best symphony orchestras, chamber ensembles, and other classical solo artists in her recital work. She has performed with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, New York Philharmonic, London Philharmonic, Israel Philharmonic, Orchestre de Paris, Stockholm

"Le chemins de l´amour" (Poulenc)

"L´invitation au Voyage" (Duparc)

"Je te veux" (Satie)

"Les Papillons" (Chausson)

Philharmonic, Vienna Philharmonic, and Berlin Philharmonic to name a few. Norman premiered the song cycle woman.life.song by composer Judith Weir, a work commissioned for her by Carnegie Hall, with texts by Toni Morrison, Maya Angelou and Clarissa Pinkola Estés; performed a selection of sacred music of Duke Ellington; recorded a jazz album, Jessye Norman Sings Michel Legrand; and was the soprano co-lead in Vangelis' project Mythodea. Norman commended herself in Mussorgsky's songs, which she performed in Moscow in the original Russian. Other of Norman's diverse projects have included her 1984 album, With a Song in My Heart, which contains numbers from films and musical comedies, and a 1990 performance of American spirituals with soprano Kathleen Battle at Carnegie Hall. Norman is most often referred to as a dramatic soprano but unlike most dramatic sopranos, Norman has become known for roles more traditionally sung by other types of voices. From her student days Norman had been selective about her

"Du bist wie eine blume" (Schumann)

"Widmung" (Schumann)

repertoire, heeding her own instincts and interests more than the advice of her teachers or requests of her management. In the beginning of her career, this tendency put her at odds with the Deutsche Opera and compelled her to seek out musical works on her own that she felt were more suitable to her vocal skills. Norman told John Gruen of the New York Times, 'As for my voice, it cannot be categorized—and I like it that way, because I sing things that would be considered in the dramatic, mezzo or spinto range. I like so many different kinds of music that I've never allowed myself the limitations of one particular range.' Some vocal critics assert that Norman is not a dramatic soprano but has in fact a rare soprano voice type known as a Falcon. The Falcon voice is an intermediate voice type between the soprano and the mezzo soprano that is similar to the dramatic soprano but with a darker-color. Norman, however, refuses to place any labels on her voice. At the age of twenty-three, when asked by an

"Mild und leise wie er lächelt"
Tristan und Isolde (Wagner)

interviewer in Germany, how she would characterize her voice, she replied that, 'pigeonholes are only comfortable for pigeons.' Over the years Norman's technical expertise has been among her most critically praised attributes. In a review of one of her recitals at New York City's Carnegie Hall, New York Times contributor Allen Hughes wrote that Norman 'has one of the most opulent voices before the public today, and, as discriminating listeners are aware, her performances are backed by extraordinary preparation, both musical and otherwise.' Another Carnegie Hall appearance prompted these words from New York Times contributor Bernard Holland: 'If one added up all the things that Jessye Norman does well as a singer, the total would assuredly exceed that of any other soprano before the public. At Miss Norman's recital ... tones were produced, colors manipulated, words projected and interpretive points made—all with fanatic finesse.'" [Source] For a list of Ms. Norman's honors and awards, click here.

Bastille Day Celebration With Jessye Norman

In 1989, Jessye Norman helped France celebrate the 200th anniversary of the French Revolution by draping herself in an oversize flag and singing the "La Marseillaise" in Paris.