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As a fan of her voice and career, I find this an interesting insight. At this point she was not ready; there is a bit too much chest resonance in the lower half of her voice and as well it is affecting her upper register. A few years later her voice is under better control and became smoother and produced with more ease. I would love to know if she was nervous (due to inexperience) and did it affect her performance. She definitely had a diamond in her throat.

all her high notesare not clean...

Beautiful. An interesting supporting appearance by Lotte Lehmann on the photographs.

I like this record very much, clear and emotional things. Does she play Violetta role somewhere?? I think she is dynamic Violetta surely.

I heard Martina Arroyo many times; in person, on broadcasts and on recordings. I think I can identify her voice almost immediately, with only one phrase and, sometimes, with only one note, but this doesn't sound like her. It is very accomplished singing, especially for a 22 year old aspirant, but, to my experienced ear, sounds nothing like the mature Arroyo. Perhaps certain "vocal mannerisms" such as the way she negotiated the lower passaggio and the notes below it came in to her singing later when she became a busy singer in the 1960s and '70s. I was very impressed when I first heard her in person at the Met as Amelia in BALLO c. 1967. The fact that she did not possess a delicate physique did not prevent me from falling in love with her Cio-Cio-San. I saw her as Aïda a number of times and her only real rival was Leontyne Price. I did not think her Gioconda or Lady Macbeth were successful. She had the vulnerability but not the ferocity and the demands for "chest voice" were beyond her technique. Her sharp sense of humor was celebrated. It was always self-deprecating but, turned on others, could also be cruel. This year Price is 97 and Arroyo is 86. It's a comfort to know they are still with us.

A voice in there, for sure. Hard to believe she got that far, however; such cloddy singing. All one color, one level. I'm not talking about the scale before the girls here castrate me. She can "belt", and that is pretty much all she ever did. Exciting belting, though! Her color certainly did not hurt her.

She was introduced by Milton Cross, who was the voice of the Metropolitan Opera Saturday broadcasts for many years. I remember his voice from Saturdays when my father would listen every week. After his death, Peter Allen took to the airwaves.

Et dans un français exemplaire !

Apart from "Salomé", I saw her in "Candide" as the Old Lady at the Deutche Oper. In spite of being a very small role, she was cheered to the rafters. Was this her last role? I think so. Brava Grace!

😢Rest in Peace 😢

Some great singing, wow! ❤

Was very supportive but still responsibly critical in the 1986 Leonard Warren Master Classes at the Greenwich school & in her prime was, IMO, superior in some ways with Leontyne, IMO. Neither were, apparently, exactly riveting in terms of their stage characterizations but offered vocalism seldom heard these days.

Please tell me: is that Estelle Liebling teaching her in your photo?

Grace Melzia Bumbry (January 4, 1937 - May 7, 2023)

This completely took my breath away, as I assumed that it would. Tears fell down my face, and I’m not moved OFTEN. The talent… the timbre… the chest voice…. The consistency throughout. The beautiful lines and support. At 21! The grooming of a star is so different nowadays… I wish to witness and be apart of the heights of Opera in my lifetime. we shall see!!!

One of those magnificent instantly recognizable sounds that never disappoints. Where are these kinds of singers now?

Una de las más grandes sopranos del siglo XX

Brava!

Breathtaking singing and always filled with generosity of spirit with all the young singers she touches!

STUPENDA GRACE

Maravillosa ❤❤❤

I thought I heard Gerhardt or Ferrier… unbelievable

I loved the voice and the singer. She lives forever. Bumbry, Verrett, Price, Anderson. Goddesses

Thanks for that clip. I was lucky to experience the artistry of this great singer as a young men between 1962 and 63. During that time she had a contract at the Opera Basel for 4 years and I have seen her in roles of Bizet's Carmen, Ficka in Die Walküre, Dalila in Samson et Dalila by Saint-Saëns, Orfeo in Gluck's Orfeo ed Euridice, Antigone and Verdi's Lady Macbeth and Azucena. I will always remember her beautiful voluminous voice and her acting ability.

RIP 🕊️

Браво, браво, браво!!!

WOW....SMH...21.

I love.

I love.

Rip😢

Announcer is Milton Cross. Bumbry's voice was never better.

RIP ❤

RIP Grace Bumbry 🌹🌹🌹

right channel missing.

RIP, a great voice!

She worked with Lotte Lehmann?

Maravilhoso

What a pity that Bumbry never recorded the role of Dalila--hers could have been the definitive account. Hers or Callas's: take your pick.

I had the extreme luck of studying with Miss Arroyo for two years. I treasure not only the knowledge and skill she imparted, but a friendship that has lasted decades. When I hear her sing, I again become that young singer full of hope and ambition. Thank you so much for putting this up!

Thank you for this! DIVA GRACE BUMBRY was cast as Venus in 1961, performed alongside Wieland Wagner and at the end, she received 30 minutes of applause with 42 curtain calls! Her voice is transcendent and her performances sublime. Bravo Diva!

They have so much trouble with an Italian 'd'. Such a wonderful instrument, but I always felt that she sang like the most frustrating grad student ever; you see this phenomenal potential yet there is a laziness and sloppiness, and she never got over this.

Wunderbar ! Lovely , nice and sadly underestimated.Her voice is beautiful.She is much better than Leontyne Price.Price has an ugly voice Arroys voice is beautiful.

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

I like how she keeps it moving! Definitely something to remind young singers

1958. (Im guessing. Am I right? This is not labeled.)

Interesting that this was the aria she sang in her final Met performance, at the Levine gala in 1996. That was probably deliberate!

WHY WAS SHE SINGING THIS AT THIS AGE?????????????????

BLACK GIRLS ROCK BEEN GOING ON FOR A WHILE. BLACK WOMEN BEEN DOING WELL OUT IN FRONT WHILE THE MASSES OF BLACKS WERE SUFFERING IN NORTHERN GHETTOS. OF COURSE IT'S MUCH WORSE NOW. STILL CAN'T GET RID OF THE PASTA. EVEN STILL MISS BUMBRY, HERE AT LEAST, SOUNDS SO WONDERFULLY FRESH.

I always liked Marina Arroyo, from the first time I heard her voice. Here the voice emerges with youthful impetus and freshness but everything was already there: legato, vocal line, precious timbre, squillo in the high notes, etc. It's incredible that someone at 22 years old can sing in this way

Thank you for creating this channel! So many 'classical' channels and social media accounts barely mention Black women in opera and throw in jazz. Here we get to hear our heroines without interference. Bless you!