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Grace Bumbry

Singer
Educator
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Brief

     Bumbry (1937-2023) was a mezzo-soprano and later, a soprano opera singer, and one of the most celebrated voices of 20th century opera. She exploded onto the international stage after she appeared as Venus in Richard Wagner’s Tannhäuser at the Bayreuth Festspielhaus in Germany in 1961. She was the first black woman to perform at this festival and her appearance was met with outrage, scorn, and controversy. Post performance she was hailed the “magnificent ‘Black Venus’” and received 42 curtain calls and a 30-minute standing ovation.1,2 Her historic performances continued throughout her career, including becoming the fifth black woman to perform at the White House when First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy invited her to sing at a state dinner honoring the Vice President, Speaker of the House, and Chief Justice Earl Warren (1962)3,4,5 and later performing at President Ronald Reagan's inaugural gala (1982)6.

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Collections & Letters

Georgetown University Library, Booth Family Center for Special Collections, Grace Bumbry Collection

This collection contains images of Bumbry during several performances and images of her with associates.

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‍Resources

Grace Bumbry's official site

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Melancon, L. (1973). Grace Bumbry in the title role of Strauss's Salome. Metropolitan Opera, New York.
Attributions
Attributions
Attributions
Birth
January 4, 1937, St. Louis, Missouri
Death
May 7, 2023 (age 86), Vienna, Austria
Resting Place
Language(s)
English, French, German
Spouse(s)

Erwin Jaeckel (m. 1963 - d. 1972)

Partner(s)
Jack V. Lunzer
Relatives
Associate(s)
Alma Mater
Influenced
Influenced By

Marian Anderson

Did You Know?
Colleague(s)
Collaborator(s)
Children
Awards & Honors
Kennedy Center Honors (2009)
Parents
Occupation
Opera Singer - Mezzo Soprano; Dramatic Soprano; Soprano
Certification(s)
License(s)
Education
Northwestern University; Boston University; Music Academy of the West
Organization(s)
Appointment(s)
Notable Works
Notable Performances

Her debut as Venus in Tannhäuser, July 23, 1961, at the Wagner Bayreuth festival in Bayreuth, Germany

Notable Moments
Military Rank/Branch
Years of Service
Political Affiliation
Associations
Genre(s)
Preceptors

Lottte Lehman, Armand Tokatyan

Legacy
Thesis
Books
Website
Your browser does not support the audio tag.

Bumbry sings "Havanaise" in opera film Carmen

*some sources say April 6, 1845

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References

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1. Battle, L. (2023, May 12). Grace Bumbry, opera singer, 1937-2023. Financial Times. https://www.ft.com/content/7f3ad1bf-e493-46e8-94b3-27e42d867099

2. Gates, B. (2023, May 9). Trailblazing opera star Grace Bumbry dies at age 86. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2023/05/09/1159000347/trailblazing-opera-star-grace-bumbry-dies-at-age-86

3. Editor's note: Historical records show that the first four Black women to perform at the White House were Marie "Selika" Williams during President Hayes' administration (1878), Sissieretta Jones during President Benjamin Harrison's administration (1892), Etta Moten Barnett during President Franklin Roosevelt's administration (1934), and Marian Anderson during President Franklin Roosevelt's administration (1936).

4. Hunter, M. (1962, February 21). Opera star sings at White House at first social event of season. The New York Times.  https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1962/02/21/461996452.html?pageNumber=17

5. A dream come true. (1962, May). Ebony, 17(7), 91. https://books.google.com/books?id=b9cDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA91&dq=Grace+bumbry+ebony+magazine+google+books&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwip3MnhnIeKAxVGO0QIHQmhE8oQ6AF6BAgHEAI#v=onepage&q=ovation&f=false

6. Schonberg, H. C. (1981, January 20). Inaugural spotlight shifts to Sinatra and show biz. The New York Times. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1981/01/20/231084.html?pageNumber=34

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