Marian Anderson Biography (1897–1993)
Deemed one of the finest contraltos of her time, Marian Anderson became the first African American to perform with the New York Metropolitan Opera in 1955.
Who Was Marian Anderson?
Singer Marian Anderson displayed vocal talent as a child, but her family could not afford to pay for formal training. Members of her church congregation raised funds for her to attend a music school for a year, and in 1955 she became the first African American singer to perform as a member of the Metropolitan Opera in New York City.
Early Years
Anderson was born on February 27, 1897, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The oldest of three girls, Anderson was just 6 years old when she became a choir member at the Union Baptist Church, where she earned the nickname "Baby Contralto." Her father, a coal and ice dealer, supported his daughter's musical interests and, when Anderson was eight, bought her a piano. With the family unable to afford lessons, the prodigious Anderson taught herself.
At the age of 12, Anderson's father died, leaving her mother to raise her three still-young girls. His death, however, did not slow down Anderson's musical ambitions. She remained deeply committed to her church and its choir and rehearsed all the parts (soprano, alto, tenor and bass) in front of her family until she had perfected them.
READ MORE: Marian Anderson Biography (1897–1993)
https://www.biography.com/musician/marian-... As National Women's History Month Continues.
Posted By: Dea. Ron Gray Sr.
Tuesday, March 29th 2022 at 4:26PM
You can also
click
here to view all posts by this author...
