5 Things You Should Know About Jessye Norman



Jessye Norman (1945-2019) was a legendary operatic soprano. Her sudden death at the age of 74 on September 30th shocked the musical community around the world, and has inspired people to reflect on her life, work, and legacy. Here are five important things to know about Jessye Norman:

1. She was one of the most decorated American vocalists.

Norman's accolades include five GRAMMY awards, including a Lifetime Achievement Award (2006), and over forty honorary doctorates. In 1984, the French government awarded her the title of Commandeur de l'Ordre des Artes et des Lettres, and the National History Museum in Paris named an orchid after her. She was a Kennedy Center Honoree in 1997 and she was awarded the Presidential Medal of the Arts by former President Barack Obama in 2009.

2. She was wildly prolific.

Her career began in the 1960s when she placed first in the Munich International Music Competition and went on to debut with the Deutsche Oper Berlin the following year.  She performed all over the world in operas and recitals, performing works by Mahler, Debussy, and Strauss. She performed more than 80 times with the Metropolitan Opera after her debut in 1983.

3. She gave credit to the black singers who came before her.

Norman spoke candidly about race. She gave credit for her success to those who came before her, including Marian Anderson, Dorothy Maynor, and Leontyne Price. Thanks to those singers, she said, she was able to sing a wide variety of roles and languages, rather than being relegated to the narrow set of roles, like "Porgy and Bess," that were previously available to Black singers. She also recounted her experiences with racism in her 2014 memoire, "Stand Up Straight and Sing!"

4. She founded the Jessye Norman School of the Arts with the Rachel Longstreet Foundation.

Norman founded the eponymous school in her hometown of Augusta, Georgia, for underserved students. The school's mission is to provide free fine arts education and to use the arts to help students become well-rounded, responsible citizens. The school provides academic tutoring, career advice, access to professional in the arts, and training in the technical aspects of theater and the arts. Norman said in an interview that she knew from experience what it meant to receive assistance, since she had a full-ride scholarship to complete her undergraduate degree Howard and a teaching fellowship for her graduate studies at the University of Michigan.

5. Her recording of Richard Strauss's "Four Last Songs" is one of her most critically-acclaimed works.

Norman is widely recognized for her recordings of Strauss's work. The New York Times calls her the singer most suited to Strauss, with her recording of the "Four Last Songs" as the unrivaled superior. She is backed by Kurt Masur and the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra.





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