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Today on Countermelody the first of two (for now) episodes celebrating the creators of George Gershwin’s legendary (and controversial) opera Porgy and Bess. Today we explore the fascinating life (and scant recorded legacy) of Anne Wiggins Brown, who was born in Baltimore on August 09, 1912, and died in Oslo on March 13, 2009. Like Muriel Smith, who a few years later created the title role of Carmen Jones on Broadway, Brown was still a student at the time she created the role of Bess. In Brown’s case, she was enrolled at the Juilliard School, one of the very first Black students admitted to the venerable institution. She was possessed of an admirable musical pedigree on her mother’s side; her father was a doctor and the family was raised in relative privilege in Baltimore. This, however, did not mean that all doors were open to the young would-be singer, who found her way by sheer determination and willpower. These same traits led to her being cast in the female lead of Gershwin’s Broadway opera, as well as a close working relationship with the composer, who expanded the role from a secondary part to having her name included in the title. Brown sang more than 500 performances of Bess around the world, but in 1948 chose to settle in Norway, where she married Thorleif Schjelderup, an Olympic skier who also became an author an environmentalist. Though she occasionally returned to the United States, Norway remained her home until her death at the age of 96. Brown’s career included significant concertizing and operatic appearances throughout the world. Eventually severe asthma led to her sudden retirement from the stage in 1955. She often decried the ugly spectre of racism, which she felt also curtailed and restricted her career. After her retirement, she became a noted voice teacher and stage director, leading several noteworthy productions of Porgy in the 1960s. This episode includes the vast majority of her slim recorded output, which include various excerpts from Porgy (in effect the very first Original Cast Album), as well as a collection of rare Norwegian recordings of spirituals, folk songs, and art songs in which she reveals a strong, true voice and a deeply musical sensibility, showing herself to be yet another artist whose artistic significance matches her historical importance. The episode opens with a heartfelt (and heartbroken) tribute to the great Roberta Flack, who died in the morning hours of February 24th.
Countermelody is a podcast devoted to the glory and the power of the human voice raised in song. Singer and vocal aficionado Daniel Gundlach explores great singers of the past and present focusing in particular on those who are less well-remembered today than they should be. Daniel’s lifetime in music as a professional countertenor, pianist, vocal coach, voice teacher, and journalist yields an exciting array of anecdotes, impressions, and “inside stories.” At Countermelody’s core is the celebration of great singers of all stripes, their instruments, and the connection they make to the words they sing. By clicking on the following link (https://linktr.ee/CountermelodyPodcast) you can find the dedicated Countermelody website which contains additional content including artist photos and episode setlists. The link will also take you to Countermelody’s Patreon page, where you can pledge your monthly or yearly support at whatever level you can afford.
