Bayreuth, 1962 I had arranged to meet Mausi at the stage door shortly before Parsifal began, so she could slip me into the auditorium. First, however, I needed some lunch. I rushed into a small Wursthaus and hurriedly ordered my meal. In fragmentary German, I asked for what I thought would be a filling plate […]
Before you meet Chico, let me introduce his hostess, Ella Lee, the American soprano. She was part of the extraordinary group of Black singers who electrified the world of opera in the 1960s- Leontyne Price, of course, George Shirley, Martina Arroyo, Grace Bumbry, Simon Estes, Shirley Verrett, Reri Grist, Betty Allen, Veronica Tyler, Gloria Davy, […]