Jessye Norman (1945-2019) was an opera icon who broke racial barriers. The New York Times described her voice as "a grand mansion of sound."
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Hello! From Wonder Media Network, I’m Jenny Kaplan and this is Encyclopedia Womannica.
Today’s musician was an opera icon who broke racial barriers. The New York Times described her voice as "a grand mansion of sound." Let’s talk about Jessye Norman.
Jessye Norman was born in Augusta, Georgia in 1945. Her mother Janie was a schoolteacher and her father Silas worked in insurance sales. Jessye grew up in the segregated South, but her community was close and tight-knit. She was one of five children, all of whom learned to play the piano at an early age. By four, she was singing in her church choir.
Often, Jessye visited her grandparents and practiced on their harmonium. She later wrote in her memoir that she was “never stopped from playing it, nor admonished for disturbing the adults.”
At nine years old, Jessye was given a radio, which introduced her to the world of opera. She listened to recordings by Black vocalists that came before her, including Marian Anderson and Leontyne Price. Their success encouraged Jessye to pursue a career in music.
She studied at the famed Interlochen Center for the Arts in Northern Michigan, which I’ve previously mentioned because I also went to camp there. That’s one of the many reasons I’m a big fan of Jessye’s. At 16 years old, Jessye entered the Marian Anderson Vocal Competition, which led to a full scholarship at Howard University. In 1967, she graduated with an undergraduate degree in music. Jessye continued her studies at the University of Michigan School of Music, where she earned a masters degree in 1968.
Upon graduating, Jessye was selected to participate in music competitions around the world. She moved to Europe to establish herself and in 1968, she won the prestigious ARD international voice competition in Munich. Shortly after, she landed a three-year contract with one of the largest German opera companies. She made her debut as Princess Elisabeth in Wagner’s Tannhäuser.
Then at the age of 24, Jessye took a break from opera to preserve her voice, preferring to tour and give recitals.
During that time, racial tensions were high. The assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. incited riots across the United States, and protests against the Vietnam War sparked opposition against the government. Jessye protested, marched and used her voice to sing anthems of the movement, such as Pete Seeger’s “We Shall Overcome.”
Jessye’s voice was known for its power and range. She was a “Falcon soprano,” but had a warmth in her tone that many associate with mezzos. When Jessye was asked to categorize her voice, she said “pigeonholes are only comfortable for pigeons.”
Throughout the 1970s, Jessye performed in many of Europe’s most popular opera houses. At the Royal Opera House, she played Cassandre in Belioz’s Les Troyens, which won her rave reviews.
In 1973, Jessye returned to the United States and sang in her first New York City recital at Lincoln Center. Two years later, she moved to London. Though she rarely made opera appearances in London, she frequently sang as a recitalist and soloist. On tour, Jessye sang music by a range of notable composers including Gustav Mahler and Franz Schubert. Her voice was so powerful that when she performed the final monologue in Tristan und Isolde, the conductor was so swept up in her performance that he was distracted from his own conducting.
In 1983, at 38 years old, Jessye made her New York Metropolitan Opera debut. The Met’s general manager called her “one of the greatest artists to ever sing” on the stage. She went on to perform 80 more times at the Met.
Throughout her career, Jessye credited her predecessors for paving the way for her success as a Black singer. In 1983, she said, “They have made it possible for me to say, ‘I will sing French opera or I will sing German opera,’ instead of being told, ‘You will sing “Porgy and Bess.’” She also said, “I do not consider my Blackness a problem. I think it looks rather nice.”
By the mid-80s, Jessye was an international sensation. As CDs become more popular, Jessye seamlessly transitioned into the new recording industry. Her recordings—which were often televised—won multiple awards.
Jessye also became a mainstay at political events. In 1985, she sang at the second inauguration of President Ronald Reagan, though she accepted the invitation with some political misgivings. She later performed at Bill Clinton’s second inauguration and at a memorial for the victims of 9/11. She also performed for Queen Elizabeth II’s 60th birthday celebration.
In 1989, Jessye sang the French national anthem on the 200th anniversary of Bastille Day. She wore an ornate gown and stunned the audience with her heartfelt performance. She was awarded France’s Legion of Honor.
In the 1990s, Jessye performed at galas, concerts, and recitals. In 1994, she was a featured soloist with the New York Philharmonic. She branched out from Opera and did a jazz crossover series, performing music by Duke Ellington at a Carnegie Hall recital, and recording a jazz album, “I was Born in Love with You”.
Jessye received many accolades. She won 5 Grammys—including a lifetime achievement award and the National Medal of the Arts. In 2002, she was inducted to the American Classical Music Hall of Fame.
Despite her success, Jessye still had to combat racism. In 1995, Jessye sued the publishers of Classic CD Magazine, and stated that they depicted her as “an uneducated, ill spoken person.” Though she ultimately lost the case, Jessye continued to stand up for herself and criticize anti-Black rhetoric.
In her later life, Jessye was committed to expanding educational opportunities and helping less-privileged populations. She served on the board of directors for a number of organizations, including the National Music Foundation, the Elton John AIDS Foundation, and the S.L.E Lupus Foundation. In 2003, Jessye opened the Jessye Norman School of the Arts, which provides a free fine arts education to teenagers.
In 2019, Jessye died in New York City of complications related to an earlier spinal cord injury. She was 74 years old.
Jessye Norman was a uniquely versatile vocalist and a renowned opera star. Like her predecessors, she paved the way for other people of color in the music industry.
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