Leontyne Price
First African-American soprano to gain international acclaim.
Leontyne Price (born Mary Violet Leontine Price on February 10, 1927) is an American soprano who became the first Black singer of her vocal range to earn worldwide fame. In 1961, she started a lengthy partnership with the Metropolitan Opera, making history as the first Black artist to have an ongoing connection with that company. Her career took her to major opera houses across the globe, such as the Vienna State Opera, the Royal Opera House, San Francisco Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, and La Scala. She was especially famous for singing the lead role in Verdi's *Aida*.
Price grew up in Laurel, Mississippi, and trained at Wilberforce University and the Juilliard School under Florence Kimball. Her first important job came with Virgil Thomson's *Four Saints in Three Acts*, which she performed on Broadway and in Paris. That same year, she starred in the third revival of Gershwin's *Porgy and Bess* and married her co-star, bass-baritone William Warfield. In 1953, she began a long collaboration with composer Samuel Barber, premiering his *Hermit Songs* with him as her accompanist at the Library of Congress.
In 1955, Price became the first Black performer to take the lead in a televised opera, singing the title role in Puccini's *Tosca* with the NBC Opera Theatre. This broadcast was seen as a major step in breaking racial barriers for Black opera singers, who had long been kept off the opera stage. That televised performance, along with appearances at the San Francisco Opera in Poulenc's *Dialogues des Carmélites* and *Aida*, brought her global attention. She then sang *Aida* at many top opera houses before her successful Met debut in 1961 as Leonora in Verdi's *Il trovatore*. She remained at the Met for 20 years, starring in numerous operas and cementing her status as one of the century's leading performers. One of those works was Barber's *Antony and Cleopatra*, which she sang at its world premiere. She gave her final opera performance at the Met in 1985, again in *Aida*.
Price described her own voice as a lyric soprano, though scholars have often called her a dramatic or spinto soprano instead. Her musical interpretations were subtle and sometimes drew more attention than her acting. She was known for roles in operas by Mozart and Puccini, as well as Cleopatra in Handel's *Giulio Cesare* and Poppea in Monteverdi's *L'incoronazione di Poppea*. Still, her greatest successes came in Verdi's "middle period" works: *Aida*, the Leonoras of *Il trovatore* and *La forza del destino*, and Amelia in *Un ballo in maschera*. Her performances in these operas, along with those by Mozart and Puccini, survive through her many recordings.
After retiring from opera, Price kept performing in recitals and orchestral concerts until 1998. She later came out of retirement for special events, including a 2001 memorial concert at Carnegie Hall for the victims of the 9/11 attacks. Her many honors include the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1964 and 13 Grammy Awards.
- born
- February 10, 1927
- field
- Opera singer (soprano)
- nationality
- American
- known_for
- First African-American soprano to achieve international acclaim; first Black sin
Verified Timeline
Quick Facts
- Birth Name
- Mary Violet Leontine Price
- Birth Date
- 1927-02-10
- Birth Place
- Laurel, Mississippi, U.S.
- Education
- Central State University (BA) / Juilliard School
- Spouse
- William Warfield
- Occupation
- Opera and concert soprano
- Years Active
- 19471997
- Known For
- Operas of Verdi, particularly Aida
- Organizations
- Metropolitan Opera
- Awards
- Presidential Medal of Freedom / Spingarn Medal / National Medal of Arts / Kennedy Center Honors / Academy of Achievement
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Born in Laurel, Mississippi, Price studied at Wilberforce University and the Juilliard School with Florence Kimball. Her first significant professional engagement was in Virgil Thomson's Four Saints in Three Acts, which she performed both on Broadway and in Paris. Later that same year she starred in the third revival of George Gershwin's Porgy and Bess, and married her co-star, bass-baritone William Warfield. She began a long association with composer Samuel Barber in 1953 when she performed the world premiere of his Hermit Songs with the composer as her accompanist at the Library of Congress. In 1955 Price became the first African American to star in a televised opera when she portrayed the title role in Puccini's Tosca with the NBC Opera Theatre. This event was widely viewed as a significant moment in breaking the color barrier for black opera singers who were historically barred from appearing on the opera stage. This televised performance, along with appearances at the San Francisco Opera as Poulenc's Dialogues des Carmélites and Aida, brought her to international attention. She went on to sing at many of the world's major opera houses with Aida, before her successful debut at the Metropolitan Opera in 1961, as Leonora in Verdi's Il trovatore. Continuing her career there, she starred in a multitude of operas for 20 years, securing her place among the leading performers of the century. One of these works was Barber's Antony and Cleopatra, which she starred in for its world premiere. She made her farewell opera performance at the Met in 1985 in Aida. After her retirement from opera, Price continued to appear in recitals and orchestral concerts until 1998. After that, she would come out of retirement to sing at special events, including a memorial concert at Carnegie Hall, in 2001 for victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Among her many honors and awards are the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1964, in addition to her 13 Grammy Awards.
Reader's Guide
Leontyne Price's significance lies in her role as a pioneering African-American soprano who broke racial barriers in opera. Her 1955 televised Tosca was a landmark moment in desegregating the opera stage, and her sustained 20-year career at the Metropolitan Opera established her as a leading performer of the century. In interviews, Price referred to her own voice as that of a lyric soprano, although scholars have variously described her as a dramatic or spinto soprano instead. She was noted for her roles in operas by Mozart and Puccini, as well as playing Cleopatra in Handel's Giulio Cesare and Poppea in Monteverdi's L'incoronazione di Poppea. However, the 'middle period' operas of Verdi remain her greatest triumph: Aida, the Leonoras of Il trovatore and La forza del destino, as well as Amelia in Un ballo in maschera. Her performances in these works, as well as Mozart and Puccini's operas, survive in her many recordings. Her legacy includes not only her vocal artistry but also her role in expanding opportunities for Black singers in classical music.
Did You Know?
- Price changed the spelling of her name to Leontyne while studying at Wilberforce University.
- Her mother, Katherine Viola Price, was a licensed practical nurse and midwife who delivered hundreds of babies in Laurel and the surrounding region.
- Price's first significant professional engagement was in Virgil Thomson's Four Saints in Three Acts, performed on Broadway and in Paris.
- She was the first African American to star in a televised opera, portraying the title role in Puccini's Tosca with the NBC Opera Theatre in 1955.
- Price's brother, George, grew up to become a brigadier general in the United States Army and lived until 2024 at the age of 95.
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