I Never Walked Alone: The Autobiography of an American Singer
An inspiring self-portrait of a world-renowned African American vocal artist
This is a fascinating account of a gifted woman's coming of age and rise to success at a time when black classical musicians faced barriers at every turn. Shirley Verrett possessed a talent and ambition so dazzling she could not be denied and she became one of the most celebrated artists of her time. I Never Walked Alone draws the reader into the world of this graceful, fiery artist, dramatically telling the story of her childhood and her brilliant international career. The book is filled with behind-the-scenes tales of this diva's great performances, roles, and collaborations, offering insight into her stormy personal relationships as well as her private struggles and critical decisions. Featuring forewords and afterwords by such figures as Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo, Zubhin Mehta, and Claudio Abbado, this richly detailed book paints a vivid picture of a magnificent survivor and an indelible artist known around the world as the black Maria Callas.
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Book details
- Author
- Shirley Verrett, Christopher Brooks
- Imprint
- Trade Paper Press, an imprint of Turner Publishing Company
- Published
- Pages
- 352
- Formats
- Paperback, Hardcover
- Subjects
- Biography & Autobiography › Entertainment & Performing Arts
- Topics
- memoir · opera singer · African American biography · classical music · women performers · racial barriers · performing arts career
- ISBN-13
- 9781684422234 (Paperback)9780471209911 (Hardcover)
About the author
SHIRLEY VERRETT was an operatic mezzo-soprano and soprano who won the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions in 1961 and performed at the Metropolitan Opera, La Scala, and other major opera houses from the late 1960s through the 1990s. She is the author of I Never Walked Alone: The Autobiography of an American Singer, co-written with Christopher Brooks.
Verrett made history on October 22, 1973, singing both Cassandra and Dido in Berlioz’s Les Troyens at the Met in a single evening. In 1996 she joined the faculty of the University of Michigan School of Music as Professor of Voice.
Verrett was born in New Orleans, raised in Los Angeles, and studied at the Juilliard School. She died of heart failure on November 5, 2010, in Ann Arbor, Michigan.