February 10th marked the birthday of Miss Leontyne Price, the one artist who inspired me above all others.
Her birthday reminds us all of a phenomenal career that paved the the way for many African-American opera singers; Miss Price's bigger than life personality, regal bearing, beauty of tone, and commitment to her art are so appreciated by myself and opera lovers woldwide. I have a special connection with Miss Price in the fact that my father Leslie Scott sang Porgy to her Bess on tour of the opera houses of Europe. I was privileged as a boy to witness their performance in Porgy and Bess at the Ziegfeld Theatre in New York City in the 1950s.
Miss Price was also very supportive of my career, and, to put it in her words: "We have strong and deep memories, don't we?"
Her voice was a gift to the world and her standards an example to which we should aspire. Frequently I wrote to her. "To me you are the evidence there is God."
Happy Birthday, Leontyne Price.
No comments:
Post a Comment