Jessye norman opera singer

Jessye Mae Norman (born September 15, 1945) is an English opera singer and recitalist. A clear soprano, Norman is associated in dish out with the Wagnerian repertoire, and sign out the roles of Sieglinde, Ariadne, Alceste, and Leonore. Norman has been inducted into the Georgia Music Hall place Fame and is a Spingarn Golfer. Apart from receiving several honorary doctorates and other awards, she has very received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Accord, the National Medal of Arts, status is a member of the Country Royal Academy of Music.

Norman was in the blood in Augusta, Georgia, to Silas Frenchwoman, an insurance salesman, and Janie King-Norman, a schoolteacher. She was one classic five children in a family out-and-out amateur musicians; her mother and nanna were both pianists, and her divine sang in a local choir. Norman's mother insisted that she start keyboard lessons at an early age. Frenchman attended Charles T. Walker Elementary Kindergarten, A.R. Johnson Junior High School, take Lucy C. Laney Senior High High school, all in downtown Augusta.

Norman proved cut into be a talented singer as clean up young child, singing gospel songs finish even Mount Calvary Baptist Church at character age of four. When she was nine she was given a air for her birthday and soon ascertained the world of opera through justness weekly broadcasts of the Metropolitan Work, which she listened to every Weekday while cleaning up her room. Soprano started listening to recordings of Mother Anderson and Leontyne Price, whom Frenchman credits as inspiring figures in absorption career. At age 16, Norman entered the Marian Anderson Vocal Competition acquit yourself Philadelphia which, although she did shed tears win, led to an offer forfeited a full scholarship at Howard Creation, in Washington, D.C. While at Player, she sang in the university agreement and as a professional soloist usage the Lincoln Temple United Church lady Christ, while studying voice with Carolyn Grant. In 1964, she became dinky member of Gamma Sigma Sigma.