Leontyne Price

    Leontyne Price is a famous opera singer. She was born February 10, 1927 in Laurel, Mississippi. Her real name was Mary Leontyne Price. Mary's mother, Kate, was a midwife and her father James worked in a sawmill. Before Leontyne decided on a singing career she sang in church choirs. She was one of the most talented members in her high school choir. Leontyne Price graduated from the College of Education and Industrial Arts in Wilberforce, Ohio. She went on to study voice at the Juilliard School of Music in New York City where she received encouragement and specialized voice training. In 1955 Leontyne was chosen to sing a title in a television production of Tosco.

    Leontyne Price's popularity began to grow in the United States. She toured the country with Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess singing the title role. Leontyne married her co-star William Warfield and decided to make a career as an opera singer. Leontyne became the first black women singer to sing a major role at La Scala. On January 27, 1961 she performed at the Metropolitan Opera as Leonora in Verdi’s Il Travatore. The audience gave her a standing ovation that lasted for 42 minutes. It was the longest in the history of the Metropolitan Opera.

    Over the years Leontyne Prioce has won 15 Grammy awards for vocal recording she had made. Mary has been on the cover of Time and other 27 magazines. She retired from opera singing. She lives quietly in Greenwich Village in New York City.

by Jamie, fourth grade, 2001