Black History Month: Jessye Norman

To celebrate Black History Month, FWN are publishing a series of articles on inspiring black women from History. Liz Hind writes about Jessye Norman

Jessye Norman was a soprano opera with an amazing voice and an extraordinary range. She sang in the great opera houses of the world including the Royal Opera House, La Scala and the Metropolitan Opera. She was also booked to sing at historical occasions including presidential inaugarations, the anniversary of the French revolution.

She was born in America’s segregated south in 1945. She described that being surrounded by music at an early age “Gives you space to dream”. So while she and her parents were involved in the civil rights movement, the music she listened to gave her the space to imagine what her life could be. Racism though was something that she described as part of the American experience, that people have to talk and understand each other.

Opera is a world that can treat women badly. Jessye spoke of casting directors trying to find someone to fit a dress that had already been made, rather than someone who fitted the role. Women appearing on stage are often criticised are criticised for their looks. Jessye Norman defied it all saying that pigeonholes are only interesting to pigeons. She also worked with orchestras to ensure that they improved their auditioning practices.

Her amazing sensitivity and technique is shown best for me not by a huge opera solo from Wagner, but a seemingly simple song for solo voice and piano - by Les Chemins de l’Amourby Poulenc, which moves me to tears. You can hear it on You Tube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HarvxxqPjjQ . She shows grace and poise, while the strength of her voiceallowed to shine when needed. Her technique is utterly flawless and the contrasts. Her interpretation is one that mixes richness, power and sensitivity in a way that only she could.