Grace Bumbry

Grace Ann Bumbry Melzia ( born January 4, 1937 in St. Louis, Missouri) is an American singer (soprano and mezzo-soprano).

She studied at Boston University, at Northwestern University in Evanston (Illinois ) and 1955-58 at the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara ( California). In the international world of music she received her breakthrough in 1961 at the Bayreuth Festival in the role of Venus in Wagner's "Tannhäuser". Because of their skin color, it was dubbed the Black Venus. In addition to many Wagner and Verdi roles she also sang with great success the role of Bess in George Gershwin's " Porgy and Bess".

Life

Survey

Youth and Education

Grace Bumbry is the daughter of a railway employee and a housewife. Growing up in St. Louis (Missouri ), ( the first African-American high school west of the Mississippi River) was Grace Bumbry from their parents on the Charles Summer High School sent.

During her youth, Grace Bumbry sang in the church choir. At the age of 17, she won for the first time in a radio contest, after they had carried out the aria of Eboli " O don fatale" from Verdi's Don Carlos. One of the prizes they won it, the study counted at the local conservatory. Then she tried for a place at the music school of St. Louis, but they refused to take Grace Bumbry, because they wanted to because of the racial segregation in the southern no black students.

An appearance on the Arthur Godfrey Talent Scout program earned her a scholarship to Northwestern University in Evanston (Illinois), which was funded by two families of patronage. When she there the famous German soprano Lotte Lehmann met, whom she invited to come to Santa Barbara, Grace Bumbry moved from Northern University to local Music Academy and remained until 1958 ( previously they had also studied at Boston University ). Grace Bumbry considered the most important student Lotte Lehmann. In 1958, she was together with soprano Martina Arroyo winner of the Metropolitan Opera Auditions (Met audience ).

Grace Bumbry made ​​her stage debut in 1958 in Basel, a year later, her debut concert in London in 1960, she sang at the Paris Opera Amneris in Verdi's " Aida ". Then dedicated Wieland Wagner. For the Bayreuth Festival With the role of Venus in Wagner's " Tannhäuser" of 1961, Grace Bumbry had established in Europe. As the first " Black Venus" at the Bayreuth Festival ( with the Venusberg choreography by Maurice Béjart ) it sparked a press vortex. Later she was invited by Jacqueline Kennedy to sing at the White House.

Voice

Initially set to mezzo roles, Grace Bumbry soon began to sing soprano roles: Salome, Aida, Tosca and Lady Macbeth, continue Norma, Santuzza, Cassandre, Chimene (in " Le Cid " ), Elisabeth (in " Tannhäuser" ), Elvira ( in " Ernani " ), Leonora (in " Il Trovatore " ) and Bess. More Mezzo - starring roles in her repertoire were: Dalila, Didon (in " Les Troyens " ), Herodiade ( title role in Massenet 's opera ), Laura, Adalgisa, Ulrica, Azucena, Orfeo and Poppea. Impressive is the exchange Grace Bumbrys in a completely new voice type - from mezzo-soprano to high dramatic soprano.

Her voice is voluminous, dark timbre and height safely. Besides his studio recordings give particular live recordings against the special character of her voice and show the specific dramatic tension that arises from their sense of rhythmic precision and eloquent articulation.

As a recital singer Bumbry performed together with various pianists, among them Leonard Hokanson, Sebastian Peschko, Erik Werba and in recent years Alexander Schmalcz forth.

2007 Grace Bumbry sang songs and aria evenings among others in Kiel, Hamburg, London, Paris, Moscow, Vienna and Tokyo. Grace Bumbry gives master classes worldwide. In spring 2010 she returned after 13 years back to the opera stage. Grace Bumbry sang the role of Monisha in Scott Joplin's only opera Treemonisha at the side of Adina Aaron and Willard White at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris. There she performed in the spring of 2012, again with an evening of songs selected songs by American composers. Shortly thereafter, in March 2012, Grace Bumbry was the role of the " Old Lady" on the side of Simone Kermes in the concert premiere of the opera Candide by Leonard Bernstein at the Deutsche Oper Berlin. In January 2013, she sang the Countess in Tchaikovsky's Pique first lady at the Vienna State Opera. In addition, numerous obligations Grace Bumbry employ as a teacher in master classes and judge on singing competitions, as well as founder of the Vocal and Opera Academy at the Berlin University of the Arts in 2009.

Honors

Grace Bumbry has been added to the Saint Louis "Walk of Fame" since the 17th May 1992 was the honorary doctor of Ebner -Rust College Holy Springs (Missouri ) and the University of Missouri St. Louis appointed (1980 ) and UNESCO projects involved ( Road of Salvery ). Grace Bumbry received the Alumna Award from the Academy of Music of the West, was awarded the Premio Giuseppe Verdi awarded by Italy and in 1996 was the Commander of the French Order Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French government appointed. In December 2009, she was from the U.S. President Barack Obama, the price Kennedy Center Honors (Eng. Kennedy Prize ) at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC awarded for her life's work.

CD recordings

  • Bellini Norma ( Role: Norma) Dynamic
  • Bizet Carmen (role: Carmen ) EMI
  • Handel: Messiah Decca
  • Cavalleria Rusticana Mascani (role: Santuzza ) melodrama
  • Massenet Le Cid (role: Chimène ) CBS
  • Stravinsky The love spell German Grammophon
  • Verdi The Force of Destiny cross section ( Role: Leonora ) Berlin Classics
  • Verdi Don Carlo (role: Eboli ) Decca
  • Verdi Aida (role: Amneris ) RCA
  • Verdi Macbeth (Character: Lady Macbeth) Orfeo
  • Verdi 's Messa da Requiem Myto
  • Wagner Tannhäuser (role: Venus) Philips
  • Famous opera arias Orfeo
  • Early Recordings German Grammophon
  • Arias and Songs Gala
  • With Love Polydor

DVD recordings

  • Bizet Carmen (role: Carmen ) German Grammophon
  • Verdi Don Carlo (role: Eboli ) German Grammophon
  • Verdi 's Messa da Requiem EMI
  • Homage to Lotte Lehmann TDK
  • Aida's Brothers & Sisters - Black Voices in Opera and Concert Arthaus
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