'Shirley Verrett Tribute and Award Presentation' at University of Michigan November 6, 2011

[Shirley Verrett]

Sandra Seaton sends this announcement of the first award given in the name of the late singer Shirley Verrett, who died on Nov. 5, 2010:

“My name is Ching-Yune Sylvester and I am the project manager for a faculty group, Women of Color in the Academy Project, at the University of Michigan. The Office of the Senior Vice Provost has recently established an award in Shirley Verrett's name.

“We will be presenting the inaugural award on Sunday, Nov 6 at the University of Michigan. It will be a tribute and award presentation, at which two of her former students (Kimberly Haynes and Kimberley Dolanski) will perform. We will also be showing some video/stills of Shirley Verrett that the Metropolitan Opera Guild and Juilliard showed at their tribute earlier this year.

“The event is free and open to the public, though RSVPs are requested. I hope you will be able to join us! You can learn more about the event and award at http://tinyurl.com/shirleyverrettaward

Thank you!

Ching-Yune Sylvester”

Sony: 'Legacy of AMERICAN DIVA Shirley Verrett, Four Previously Unavailable Recordings Released February 1, 2011'

[Falla's Seven Popular Spanish songs; Shirley Verret, mezzo-soprano; SONY Music Entertainment Downloads LLC (Feb. 1, 2011)]

Elisa Peimer of Sony Masterworks sends this press release on recordings of Shirley Verrett:

“Dear Colleague:

Below please find the press release and streaming music for four digital and burn-on-demand Shirley Verrett albums that will be available February 1.

Carnegie Hall Recital

Falla's Seven Popular Spanish songs and Songs by Granados / Nin / Obradors / Montsalvatge / Turina

Vocal Music of Vivaldi

Singin' in the Storm

“Sony Masterworks Commemorates The Recorded Legacy of AMERICAN DIVA Shirley Verrett

“Four Previously Unavailable Recordings Released February 1, 2011

“SONY MASTERWORKS commemorates the recorded legacy of American diva Shirley Verrett (1931-2010), one of the most acclaimed mezzo-sopranos of the second half of the twentieth century. Four of her earliest recordings that have not been translated to CD until now: Falla’s Seven Popular Spanish Songs, Carnegie Hall Recital, Singin’ in the Storm and Vocal Music of Vivaldi will be available through all major digital service providers and as disc-on-demand February 1, 2011.

"Verrett was perhaps the most commanding of remarkable African-American artists that followed Leontyne Price’s breakthrough internationally and at the Metropolitan Opera. Verrett’s career hit its stride just as the civil rights movement had its first successes, though she had already enjoyed a decade of international acclaim by the time she made her Metropolitan Opera debut in 1968. A mezzo-soprano whose flexible voice allowed her to sing the great soprano roles, Verrett, was a glamorous woman with a striking presence on the world’s great opera stages for more than thirty years."

BroadwayWorld.com: Shirley Verrett Singing 'You'll Never Walk Alone' from 'Carousel'

[I Never Walked Alone; Shirley Verret With Christopher Brooks; Wiley (2003)]

John Malveaux send us this link to a post at BroadwayWorld.com which includes a video (1:53) of Shirley Verrett singing "You'll Never Walk Alone":

BroadwayWorld.com

"STAGE TUBE: Opera Legend Shirley Verrett Dies at 79 (TV Content)

Mezzo-soprano opera star Shirley Verrett passed away today, November 5, in Ann Arbor Michigan from heart related complications. She was 79 years old. In the clip below, Verret sings the beautiful 'You'll Never Walk Alone' from the 1994 Broadway revival of CAROUSEL."

Shirley Verrett at Chicago's DuSable Museum, in photos from Barbara Wright-Pryor

[I Never Walked Alone; Shirley Verret With Christopher Brooks; Wiley (2003). Barbara Wright-Pryor's photos of Shirley Verrett (2004)]

On November 6, 2010 AfriClassical posted: “NYTimes.com: 'Shirley Verrett, Opera Singer of Power and Grace, Is Dead at 79.'” Our friend Barbara Wright-Pryor, President of the Chicago Music association, has kindly sent a link to her Facebook page, which features several photos of Shirley Verrett. She also refers to the singer's autobiography, I Never Walked Alone:

“Dear Bill,

In May, 2004, Chicago Music Association and The Chicago Crusader newspaper (for which I am music critic) engaged Shirley Verrett to present a master class for young Chicago singers followed by a book signing of her newly-released autobiography as told to Christopher Brooks. I am including a link for just a few of those photos that I posted on Facebook. I have many more to share later.

Sincerely,

Barbara”