Pioneering opera singer Grace Bumbry has died at the age of 86. The American-born mezzo-soprano spent more than three decades performing at top venues across the world - and was the first ever Black singer to perform at Germany's Bayreuth Festival.
Bumbry died on Sunday 7 May at a hospital in Vienna, Austria, according to her publicist. She had suffered a stroke last October while on a flight to New York to attend her induction into Opera America's Opera Hall of Fame. She was treated in New York City and returned to Vienna in December, spending the last months of her life in and out of medical facilities.
Born to a railroad porter and schoolteacher in St. Louis, Missouri in 1937, the singer won a talent contest at age 17 sponsored by radio station KMOX which included a scholarship to the St. Louis Institute of Music. However, she was denied admission to the institution because she was Black.
She fought against that prejudice throughout her career, placing among the winners of the 1958 Met National Council Auditions and made a recital debut in Paris the same year, then going on to perform at the Paris Opéra in 1960 as Amneris in ‘Aida’.
Among numerous honours, she was inducted into the St. Louis Walk of Fame, was named Commandeur des Arts et Lettres by the French government and was among those honoured for her contribution to the performing arts during the 2009 Kennedy Center Honours, alongside Bruce Springsteen, Mel Brooks and Robert De Niro.
Bumbry was married to Polish tenor Erwin Jaeckel until their divorce in 1972 and she leaves no children. Her publicist says memorials are being planned for the trailblazing star in her adopted home of Vienna and in New York.
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