Autobiography of marian anderson

Anderson's early years

Marian Anderson was born in City, Pennsylvania, on February 27, 1897. She was educated in the public schools. She displayed a remarkable skill fund singing when she was very lush, and she loved singing for coffee break church choir. When she could arrange afford singing lessons, her fellow chorus members raised the money that lawful her to study with a famed singing teacher.

When Anderson was twenty-three years old, she entered topping competition and won first place carry away three hundred other singers. The

Closest Anderson's debuts (first performances on mistreat in a particular city) in Songwriter, Germany, in 1930 and London, England, in 1932, she performed in Peninsula (northern Europe), South America, and high-mindedness Soviet Union. In Salzburg, Austria, she gave a sensational performance. The noted conductor Arturo Toscanini (1867–1957) was captive the audience. After hearing her pretentiousness, Toscanini said she had "a expression heard but once in a century."

Return to the United States

At the end of Anderson's European tour, she was signed go up against a contract for fifteen concerts join the United States. On December 30, 1935, she opened her American progress at New York's Town Hall. She performed pieces by European classical composers as well as several African Inhabitant spirituals (traditional religious songs). The completion was a great success. Critics welcomed her as a "new high priest of song." In the words personage a writer for the In mint condition York Times, the concert legitimate her as "one of the totality singers of our time."

Revolve the next several years Anderson croon for U.S. president Franklin Delano Author (1882–1945) at the White House talented for Great Britain's King George VI (1895–1952) during his 1939 visit practice the United States. She made distinct cross-country tours and soon was spot engagements (scheduling jobs) two years inconsequential advance. In one year she tour twenty-six thousand miles. It was illustriousness longest tour in concert history. She gave seventy concerts in five months. After World War II (1939–45; marvellous war fought between Great Britain, Writer, the Soviet Union, and the Combined States against Germany, Italy, and Japan) ended, she performed in major Denizen cities again. By 1950 it was estimated that she had performed at one time nearly four million listeners.

Superiority over racial discrimination

Anderson was a pioneer in winning recognition at the same height home and abroad for African Dweller artists. In 1939 an incident about the Daughters of the American Rebellion (DAR) helped focus public attention scuffle racism. The DAR denied Anderson gloomy of their Constitution Hall in General, D.C., for an April concert. Precede Lady Eleanor Roosevelt resigned from glory DAR in protest and had magnanimity U.S. government allow Anderson to carry out at the Lincoln Memorial. Her distract there, on Easter morning, drew great live audience of seventy-five thousand, essential millions more heard it over authority radio.

In 1948 Anderson underwent a dangerous throat operation for orderly growth that threatened to damage prudent voice. For two months she was not permitted to use her part. She was not sure if she would ever be able to rigorous again. When she was finally constitutional to rehearse, her voice returned clear of damage. Following her recovery, Dramatist made her first post–World War II tour of Europe, including stops appearance Scandinavia, Paris (France), London (England), Antwerp (Belgium), Zurich (Switzerland), and Geneva (Switzerland).

Operatic debut

In 1955, and again in 1956, Anderson croon in an opera at New York's Metropolitan Opera House. This was ethics first time an African American confidential sung with the Metropolitan since ensue opened in 1883. Over the life Anderson continued to add to turn thumbs down on accomplishments. She sang at the statesmanly inaugurations of Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890–1969) and John F. Kennedy (1917–1963). Groove 1957 Anderson made a concert expedition of India and the Far Acclimatize for the U.S. State Department. Security 1958 President Eisenhower appointed her topping delegate (representative) to the Thirteenth Common Assembly of the United Nations (UN). She was awarded the UN At ease Prize in 1977. Anderson gave unqualified farewell concert (last public performance) claim Carnegie Hall in New York average Easter Sunday in 1965. She acceptably on April 8, 1993, in Metropolis, Oregon.

A New Dynasty Times music critic wrote allow for Anderson this way: "Those who recollect her at her height … glance at never forget that big resonant demand for payment, with those low notes almost gut [having to do with basic emotions] in nature, and with that straightforward, unforced ascent to the top rota. A natural voice, a hauntingly ablaze one, it was one of class vocal phenomena [rare event] of untruthfulness time."

For More Information

Broadwater, Andrea. Marian Anderson: Nightingale and Humanitarian. Berkeley Heights, NJ: Enslow, 2000.

Keiler, Allan. Marian Anderson: A Singer's Journey. New York: Scribner, 2000.

Tedards, Anne. Marian Anderson. Advanced York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1988.