black opera singers
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From Carmen to Nefertiti, J'Nai Bridges Is the Next Big Voice in Opera
Amid the surrealist sets, majestic costumes, soaring voices and intricate harmonies of the Met Opera’s current revival of Philip Glass’ Akhnaten, based on the 17-year reign of the revolutionary 18th Dynasty Egyptian king, one of the most striking elements is that of his famed queen, Nefertiti. Performed by mezzo-soprano sensation J’Nai Bridges (pronounced “Jah-Nay”), Nefertiti…
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Akhnaten: A Revolutionary King Gets an Equally Innovative Opera
It’s strangely fitting that one of history’s earliest renegades has been immortalized with an opera that also defies convention—and indeed, for those unfamiliar with the music of Philip Glass, the operative word some may use to describe his opera Akhnaten might be “strange.” For the genre’s purists, the Metropolitan Opera’s production of his now 35-year-old…
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Jessye Norman, Heralded Soprano of the Opera World, Dies at 74
Jessye Norman, the internationally celebrated soprano, died surrounded by loved ones Monday, of complications suffered as the result of a 2015 spinal cord injury, her family announced. She was 74. “We are so proud of Jessye’s musical achievements and the inspiration that she provided to audiences around the world that will continue to be a…