Originally posted on October 15, 2009
Edited on May 24, 2011
AS an aspiring opera/classical singer, I have always looked up to & tried to learn the from the successful singers in my fach. I also believe that it is important to have a role model who I can relate to on multiple levels...specifically, someone of the same ethnicity. Don't get me wrong, studying, learning from, and listening to a singer of a different ethnic background is something I do on a daily basis, but it is also nice to have a form of reference that is common other than just the voice.
THIS brings me to a few questions...plain & simple: Where are the accomplished & acclaimed African-American soubrette & coloratura sopranos of the 21st century? Are there any out there? Where are the Mattiwilda Dobbs', Kathleen Battle's, Reri Grist's, Gwen Bradley's, Harolyn Blackwell's and Barbara Hendricks'? Honestly, in my years of studying voice, singing in competitions, doing summer programs, attending masterclasses, I can count on ONE hand the number of African-American sopranos I've met with my voice type, and it makes me a little sad. I haven't been in the industry THAT long, but I've come to the conclusion that we are rare. Until I am proven wrong, I will stand by this. OR, maybe I'm not doing enough research...
I know that every voice is unique, blah blah, but I wonder what's really up? Am I just imagining this whole thing? Does this open up the floor for discussion about voice teachers and whether or not they are cultivating voices accurately? Is it a political issue in the opera business? Is this a matter of the era in which we live now, where so much is based on academia? Is it a perception of work ethic?I have no idea. Someone please help me figure this out, if there's anything to figure out at all. Where and who are the African-American coloraturas, of notable mention, of this generation?
ALSO, as a young voice teacher, I am even more eager to further my understanding of this great art form to now include my students' development. I love that I can rely on those great singers who have contributed significantly to Black opera and classical music history. However, my inquiry still remains as my concern grows for the continuance of this particular fach and our race in the Western classical music culture.
(If you haven't noticed, I'm very passionate about this subject & it took a lot of self-convincing to write this.)
ON a slightly different note, below are some video clips of my favorite African-American sopranos (also mentioned above) with whom I share similar vocal qualities. Enjoy!!
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RERI GRIST
Zerbinetta's aria from Ariadne auf Naxos (R. Strauss)
BARBARA HENDRICKS
Signore ascolta from Turandot
MATTIWILDA DOBBS
Songs by Debussy, Milhaud, Strauss, & Rodrigo
KATHLEEN BATTLE
O luce di quest'anima from Linda di Chamounix (Donizetti)
HAROLYN BLACKWELL
Somewhere from West Side Story
Thursday, October 15, 2009
African-American Coloratura Sopranos of the 21st Century
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3 comments:
You touched upon something very interesting. A lot of teachers [be it consciously or subconsciously] tend to see an African American woman and immediately file them [us] under "Full lyric soprano". This isn't only from personal experience but from extended observation. Without going too into "racist" land, I'm going to presume it is, in fact, because of the color of our voices.
As this is potentially a loaded discussion, I'll tell you a little about my experience without being too specific. A few years ago [and about 40lbs ago], I was singing Lyric Coloratura. I am clearly a Lyric Soprano, knowing what I know about voices and my voice, there's no doubt about it. But I was thin, looked soubrette-ish, and was often compared to Reri Grist. A friend of mine who was always a few sizes bigger than me was always told she was a Verdian Soprano...when her voice was the same size as mine if not smaller. I went to grad school, sang with the same voice that I had in undergrad, put on a bunch weight and was immediately advised to sing Puccini, Verdi etc. If I had a dollar for every time I've heard: "Oh have you started looking at AIDA??" in the past 2 years, I'd be able to afford voice lessons in nyc. ha!
Anyway, I digress, this isn't just something that happens racially, a soprano's size *does* play a lot into how they're Fach-ed...nonetheless, I think you've noticed something really interesting that most don't notice.
this is why you MUST meet my friend..so you 2 can sit and gab about black coloratura life!
I totally agree with your comment. I've studied as a lyric coloratura since I was 14 andmI'm now 30 and nothing has changed. When I go to New England because of the color they hear, they telle I'm a lyric. What? But I go down south and I'm a coloratura. Very baffling
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