Grace Bumbry

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