Bumbry was among the winners of the 1958 Met National Council Auditions. She had a recital debut in Paris that same year and made her Paris Opéra debut in 1960.

Star tenor Lawrence Brownlee’s new Facebook Live series aims to change the face of the industry through interviews with other Black opera singers and advice for aspiring Black opera singers, Brownlee explains.

More than 60 years after Marian Anderson broke the color barrier at the Met, Black singers still face unique obstacles within the opera industry. “We’ve made some strides, but not a whole lot,” said Professor Naomi Andre.

Learn how Lawrence Brownlee, hailed as one of the world’s leading tenors, is developing new works that respond to issues facing men of color today.

In 2015, former President Barack Obama awarded Shirley with the National Medal of Arts.