Jessye Norman - The Voice of Grandeur
The universe of lyrical song is vast, but few of its stars shine as brightly as Jessye Norman, the opera singer for those who don't like opera. Owner of an incredible vocal range and impeccable technique, her voice was voluptuous and as sonorous as a bell, but always velveteen regardless of her reach, and she was comfortable singing in a wide variety of styles, from opera to Blues. With a personality that blended Southern warmth with global education, Norman was frank, witty, elegant, charming, and rigorous when it came to her art. Starting her career at a time of global social change and artistic renaissance, Jessye Norman belonged to a new group of groundbreaking, non-traditional opera stars which also included Barbara Hendricks, Kathleen Battle, and Kiri Te Kanawa. Overcoming prejudices of all sorts, Jessye Norman graced the operatic scene for five decades, leaving a legacy of art and beauty that can still be felt today. Born Jessye Mae Norman in 1945 in Augusta, Georgia,...
