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Kathleen Battle
Kathleen Battle.jpg
Battle in 1999
Born (1948-08-13) August 13, 1948 (age 76)
Portsmouth, Ohio, U.S.
Education University of Cincinnati (BM, MM)
Occupation Operatic soprano
Years active 1972–present
Awards

Kathleen Deanna Battle (born August 13, 1948) is a famous American opera singer. She is known for her amazing voice and wide vocal range. Kathleen was born in Portsmouth, Ohio. In the 1970s, she became well-known for singing with big orchestras. She first performed in an opera in 1975.

During the 1980s and early 1990s, Kathleen sang many different types of opera roles. She focused on recording music and performing concerts after 1994. After not performing at the Metropolitan Opera for 22 years, she returned in November 2016. She sang a concert of spiritual songs there. She performed at the Met again in May 2024.

Kathleen Battle's Early Life and Music Training

Kathleen Battle was born in Portsmouth, Ohio. She was the youngest of seven children. Her father worked in a steel factory. Her mother was very involved in the gospel music at their church.

Kathleen went to Portsmouth High School. Her music teacher, Charles P. Varney, was a big help to her. In 1985, Varney remembered hearing eight-year-old Kathleen sing. He said she was "this tiny little thing singing so beautifully." He told her that God had blessed her voice. He said she must always sing. A music critic named Michael Walsh called her "the best lyric coloratura in the world."

Kathleen received a scholarship to the University of Cincinnati – College-Conservatory of Music. There she studied singing. She earned degrees in music education. In 1971, she started teaching music to 5th and 6th graders in Cincinnati. She kept taking private singing lessons. Later, she studied singing in New York.

Starting Her Music Career in the 1970s

In 1972, a friend told Kathleen about auditions in Cincinnati. The conductor Thomas Schippers was looking for singers. Schippers chose her to sing in Brahms' German Requiem. This was at a festival in Spoleto, Italy. Her performance on July 9, 1972, started her professional career.

Over the next few years, Kathleen sang in many concerts. She performed in New York, Los Angeles, and Cleveland. In 1973, she received a grant to help her career. A judge from the grant panel, William Mullen, remembered her audition. He said her voice was "too small" but she could "communicate through music." He convinced the other judges to give her the grant.

Thomas Schippers introduced Kathleen Battle to conductor James Levine. Levine chose her to sing in Mahler's Symphony No. 8 in 1974. This began a long friendship and working relationship. They performed and recorded together for 20 years.

Kathleen made her first opera performance in 1975. She sang Rosina in Rossini's The Barber of Seville in Detroit. The next year, she sang Susanna in Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro in New York. In 1977, she debuted at the San Francisco Opera and the Metropolitan Opera. Her Metropolitan Opera debut was in Wagner's Tannhäuser. James Levine conducted this performance. In 1979, she sang in England for the first time.

Success and Awards in the 1980s

Throughout the 1980s, Kathleen performed in many concerts and operas. She traveled all over the world. In 1980, she sang Adina in Donizetti's L'elisir d'amore in Zürich. In 1982, she performed at the Salzburg Festival in Austria.

In 1985, she sang for Pope John Paul II at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. She also debuted at the Royal Opera, London that year. In 1987, she sang for the famous Vienna New Year's Concert. She sang many roles, including Oscar and Semele. She often sang Mozart roles like Susanna, Zerlina, and Despina.

Kathleen became a well-known artist at the Metropolitan Opera. She sang in over 150 performances there. She also performed at other major opera houses.

During this time, she won three Grammy Awards for her recordings. These included Kathleen Battle Sings Mozart (1986) and Salzburg Recital (1987). Her recording of Ariadne auf Naxos (1987) also won a Grammy. She also won the Laurence Olivier Award in 1985 for her role in Ariadne auf Naxos in London. Critics often praised her performances. In 1985, Time Magazine called her "the best lyric coloratura soprano in the world."

Projects and Challenges in the 1990s

The 1990s brought many different projects for Kathleen. She sang spiritual songs and baroque music. She also performed with jazz musicians.

In 1990, Kathleen and Jessye Norman sang spirituals at Carnegie Hall. She also sang in California. Her first solo concert at Carnegie Hall was on April 27, 1991. She sang songs by famous composers. The legendary singer Marian Anderson was in the audience. Kathleen dedicated a song to her. This concert recording earned Kathleen her fourth Grammy. In 1992, she premiered a new song cycle called Honey and Rue. It was written just for her.

In 1993, she performed with jazz musicians at Carnegie Hall. She also worked with trumpeter Wynton Marsalis and violinist Itzhak Perlman. She even sang on Janet Jackson's pop album Janet in May 1993. An album of Japanese songs, First Love, came out later that year.

On the opera stage, she performed in Mozart, Rossini, and Donizetti operas. She sang in several productions at the Metropolitan Opera. She won her fifth Grammy Award in 1993 for singing in Semele.

However, her relationship with the Metropolitan Opera became difficult. In February 1994, she was dismissed from a production. The general manager said her actions were "unprofessional." He said her behavior harmed the teamwork among the cast. He also canceled all future offers for her. Kathleen said she was not told about any unprofessional actions. She said she was saddened by the decision. After this, Kathleen Battle did not perform in opera again.

For the rest of the 1990s, she focused on recording and concerts. She sang a duet with jazz singer Al Jarreau. She released two albums in 1995: So Many Stars and Angels' Glory. In 1997, she released Mozart Opera Arias and Grace. In 1998, she joined jazz pianist Herbie Hancock on his album Gershwin's World. In 1999, she was featured in Fantasia 2000. She also performed solo concerts in many cities.

Kathleen Battle: 2000 to Today

Kathleen Battle has continued to explore different types of music. She has performed works by composers like Vangelis, Stevie Wonder, and George Gershwin.

In 2001, she and Jessye Norman performed Vangelis' Mythodea in Athens, Greece. In 2006, she sang a song by Stevie Wonder in a tribute to him. She then started including his music in her concerts. In 2007, she performed an all-Gershwin program. She also sang with Alicia Keys at a charity event.

Kathleen battle
Battle singing the Lord's Prayer (2008) in honor of the Pope

On April 16, 2008, she sang the Lord's Prayer for Pope Benedict XVI at the White House. This was the second time she sang for a pope. Later that year, she performed with Alicia Keys and Queen Latifah. Since then, she has given occasional piano-voice concerts.

After 22 years, Kathleen Battle returned to the Metropolitan Opera House in November 2016. She performed a concert of spirituals. She received a standing ovation when she returned to the Met stage on May 12, 2024.

Major First Performances

Here are some of Kathleen Battle's important first performances:

  • First Professional Performance: Soprano singer in Brahms' Ein Deutsches Requiem, Spoleto, Italy, July 9, 1972.
  • First Opera Performance: Rosina in The Barber of Seville, Michigan Opera Theatre, 1975.
  • First New York City Opera Performance: Susanna in The Marriage of Figaro, 1976.
  • First San Francisco Opera Performance: Oscar in Un ballo in maschera, November 12, 1977.
  • First Metropolitan Opera Performance: Shepherd in Tannhäuser, December 22, 1977.
  • First UK Performance: Nerina in La fedeltà premiata, July 15, 1979.
  • First Salzburg Festival Performance: Despina in Così fan tutte, July 28, 1982.
  • First Solo Concert at Carnegie Hall: April 27, 1991.

What Kathleen Battle Sings

Kathleen Battle has a wide range of music she performs.

Choral and Symphonic Works

She has been a soloist in many large musical pieces, including:

Opera Roles

Kathleen Battle has played these roles on stage:

Concert and Recital Music

Her concert music includes classical, jazz, and other styles. She sings music by Duke Ellington, George Gershwin, and Stevie Wonder. She is also famous for singing African-American spirituals.

Who Kathleen Battle Has Worked With

Kathleen Battle has worked with many famous conductors. These include Herbert von Karajan, Riccardo Muti, and James Levine. She has performed with many top orchestras. Some are the New York Philharmonic, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and the Berlin Philharmonic. She has also appeared at major music festivals.

For her solo concerts, she has worked with many pianists. She has also collaborated with other classical artists. These include flautist Jean-Pierre Rampal, soprano Jessye Norman, violinist Itzhak Perlman, and tenors Luciano Pavarotti and Plácido Domingo.

Outside of classical music, she has worked with singers like Al Jarreau and Alicia Keys. She also sang on Janet Jackson's album. She sang the title song for the 2004 Chinese movie, House of Flying Daggers.

Awards and Special Recognitions

Kathleen Battle has received many awards for her talent:

  • Grammy for Best Classical Vocal Soloist Performance for Kathleen Battle Sings Mozart, 1986.
  • Grammy for Best Classical Vocal Soloist Performance for Salzburg Recital, 1987.
  • Grammy for Best Opera Recording for Richard Strauss: Ariadne Auf Naxos, 1987.
  • Laurence Olivier Award for Best Performance in a New Opera Production for Zerbinetta in Ariadne auf Naxos, London, 1985.
  • Grammy for Best Classical Vocal Soloist Performance for Kathleen Battle at Carnegie Hall, 1992.
  • Emmy for Outstanding Individual Achievement – Classical Music/Dance Programming – Performance for the Metropolitan Opera Silver Anniversary Gala, 1992.
  • Candace Award from the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, 1992.
  • Grammy for Best Opera Recording for Handel: Semele, 1993.
  • Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement, 1993.
  • She has received six honorary doctorates from American universities.
  • NAACP Image Award – Hall of Fame Award, 1999.

See also

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