Trailblazing opera diva Grace Bumbry dies at 86.
TL;DR Summary
Grace Bumbry, a mezzo-soprano who broke racial barriers to become one of opera's first and biggest Black stars, has died at the age of 86. She made her international breakthrough in 1960 at the Paris Opera and was the first Black woman to perform at the Bayreuth Festival in Germany. Bumbry transcended not only racial perceptions but vocal categorizations as well, taking on soprano parts in addition to mezzo-soprano roles. She performed more than 200 times at the Metropolitan Opera in New York over two decades and was known for her sultry stage presence.
- Grace Bumbry, Barrier-Shattering Opera Diva, Is Dead at 86 The New York Times
- Grace Bumbry, pioneering African American opera singer, dies at 86 The Washington Post
- Grace Bumbry, 1st Black singer at Bayreuth, dies at 86 The Associated Press
- Grace Bumbry died today, aged 86 - SlippediscSlippedisc | The inside track on classical music and related cultures, by Norman Lebrecht Slipped Disc
- Grace Bumbry, trailblazing opera star from St. Louis, dies at 86 St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Reading Insights
Total Reads
0
Unique Readers
1
Time Saved
6 min
vs 7 min read
Condensed
93%
1,282 → 94 words
Want the full story? Read the original article
Read on The New York Times