Jessye Norman. Singer - ACE163.7

Rehearsals with James King as Bacchus, Jean-Louis Martinoty, Director, Jeffrey Tate, Conductor. Tate talking about his collaboration with Norman over phrasing, etc. They discuss a particular line. Martinoty working on hand movements with Norman and King. Norman on working out the logistics of movements which have to coincide with the music. Performance – "Gibt es kein Hinüber?" etc. Norman complaining about directors who have "a lot of clever ideas" but who haven’t "sat down to learn the score". Performance; Norman’s VO praising this production which has "a lot of innovative ideas which have not destroyed the music … the only way one can think about opera." Music continues over shots of Harlem, New York; children playing on the streets, etc. Norman’s VO talking about social responsibilities: artists and performers cannot live in a vacuum. Dance Theater of Harlem; Norman’s VO saying how important it is to have classical ballet being taught in Harlem. Norman with Arthur Mitchell, Founder and Artistic Director talking about his idea to have her sing live while the Company dances. Songs of Mahler performed at an Open House; Mitchell’s VO saying how important it is for young people to have role models and to understand the need for hard work to support talent. Norman’s VO says she can only be the best she can be and hope that young black Americans might be interested in doing work similar to hers.