*Please note the opera glossary and links to audio below!

Laverne has a passion for divas - from Beyonce to Leontyne Price, and closer to home, Angel Blue, the history-making operatic soprano who has become a dear friend as well. Angel shares her road to the spotlight including her early years of artistic difficulty and personal tragedy. Angel is a two-time grammy winner and was the first Black diva to sing the leading role in Verdi’s “La Traviata” at The Metropolitan Opera in New York, Covent Garden in London, and - though it was said it could not be done - La Scala Opera House in Milan. Heads up, in Milan that makes you a rockstar.

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Links of Interest:

Sumptuous La Traviata Charms La Scala with Placido Domingo and Angel Blue (Euronews, YouTube)

AIDA: Royal Opera House (Angel Joy Blue YouTube Channel)

Every Operatic Soprano Voice Type, Explained

Emotion, Destiny’s Child, High C @3:29

Leontyne Price Sings Aida’s “O Patria Mia”, High C 

Opera Singers - High Note C (C6) Battle

Leontyne Price and Simon Estes Duet, Aida

The Iconic Shade of Aretha Franklin (Beautiful Gowns)

Grace Bumbry (Video)

Grace Bumbry (NPR)

Soprano Angel Blue Cancels Arena di Verona Debut in Response to Blackface (ClassicalMusic.com/BBC)

Glossary of Opera Terms:

Arena di Verona: an ancient Roman amphitheater in Verona, Italy built in 30 AD. It is still in use today and is famous for its large scale operatic performances

Aida: an opera by Giuseppe Verde. Premiere Cairo, 1871. Synopsis

Aria: A self-contained piece for a singer, or “solo.” In opera, arias mostly appear during a pause in dramatic action when a character is reflecting on their emotions. 

Bel Canto: An Italian vocal technique or “school” developed and popularized in the 18th and 19th centuries. It places emphasis on beauty of sound and brilliance of performance rather than dramatic expression and romantic emotion. 

Carmen: an opera in four acts by the French composer Georges Bizet. Premiere Paris, 1875. Synopsis

Coloratura: Elaborate ornamentation of a vocal melody, especially in operatic singing by a soprano. 

Covent Garden & The Royal Opera: an internationally acclaimed opera house and company, the three-theatre physical structure dates back to 1858

Samson et Dalila: an opera in three acts by the French composer Camille Saint-Saëns based on the biblical story of Samson and Delilah. Premiere Weimar, Germany, 1877. Synopsis

Falsetto: A method of singing used by male singers, especially tenors, to sing notes higher than their normal range. 

Forte: A musical direction that means “loud.” 

Il Trovatore: An opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verde. Premiere Rome,1853. Synopsis

La Scala or Teatro alla Scala is an opera house in Milan, Italy. The theatre was inaugurated on August 3, 1778.

Legato: (adj.) Smooth and flowing in manner, without breaks between notes. 

Libretto: The text of an opera (or other vocal work). 

Ornaments (ornamentation): Musical flourishes or embellishments (such as a trill or a slide) that are not essential to carry the overall line of the melody, but serve instead to decorate or “ornament” that line. 

Pianissimo: A soft performance, played or sung quietly. 

Rigoletto: an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi. Premiere Venice, 1851. Synopsis

The Met: The Metropolitan Opera House in New York City.

Tosca: an opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini. Premiere Rome, 1900. Synopsis

Traviata: Short for “La Traviata,” a famous opera by Giuseppe Verde. La Traviata also goes by the name “Camille” in English, which was derived from the title of the book (La Dame aux Camélias) that inspired it as well as the 2001 film Moulin Rouge.  Premiere Venice, 1853. Synopsis

Other Episodes of Interest:

Diva Worship and Opera w/ Ira Siff

The Intellectual Underpinnings of Beyonce's Awesomeness w/ Kevin Allred

Music Credits:

Audio from San Francisco Opera’s 2023 Il Trovatore is courtesy of Angel Blue.

Audio of Angel singing “D'amor sull'ali rosee” from Il Trovatore with The Philadelphia Orchestra September 2020 provided by TPO. Angel will be back on its stage June 8, 2024.

Audio of Angel Blue’s “Summertime” from her 2014 solo album Joy Alone is courtesy of Angel Blue.

CREDITS:

Executive Producers: Sandie Bailey, Alex Alcheh, Lauren Hohman, Tyler Klang & Gabrielle Collins

Producer & Editor: Brooke Peterson-Bell

Associate Producer: Akiya McKnight