Black Opera Productions, the company behind the upcoming documentary Black Opera and the ongoing Black Opera Live! series, will present a virtual gala in honor of Jessye Norman. The 90-minute stream will take place September 15—what would have been the late soprano's 75th birthday.
The event, produced in partnership with the Norman estate, will feature such opera stars and musicians as J'Nai Bridges, Harolyn Blackwell, Martina Arroyo, Simon Estes, Damien Sneed, George Shirley, Measha Brueggergosman, Krysty Swann, Karen Slack, Chauncey Packer, John Holiday, Audrey DuBois-Harris, Sidney Outlaw, Justin Austin, Brandie Sutton, and Russell Thomas, plus Norman's family and students from the Jessye Norman School of the Arts. Kenneth Overton will host.
The event will be free to stream on YouTube, though suggested donations will benefit Norman's namesake estate and school, as well as continued development of the company's documentary.
Norman died September 30 last year at 74. She is remembered for her varied repertoire that included (but was not limited to) opera roles that defied convention and rousing renditions of spirituals.
