Jessye Norman sings "Amazing Grace"

[hunternova77]

This makes me goose bumps!! Simply Great!! =D

[squirell1952]

jesse norman got an education. this is why she went up in the world. education is the only way to liberate the lower classes. if you don't educatethem they end up in jail. but we could have a nation of educaated criminals if we educated them all! in second thoughts, let's leave them in the gutter where they belong. they are happy there.

[squirell1952]

did you know that the illiterate, lower class, blue-collared BLACKS in america actually consider jessie norman to be a traitor? that's because she sings like a "white person".Now, how ignorant is that? and what would a black dope know about opera anyway? the same with poor charlie pride. he, and jessie, are my personal TWO FAVOURITE AFRO-AMERICAN singers. Swear to God.

[2211JW]

@squirell1952 Well the blacks may think she sings like a white person, but I think she sings like a black person. I love her voice, though.

[Tusson07]

Not only is she still alive, but singing beautifully touring the world

[mexicojack1]

Need to rub off the goose bumps. Oh my they're permanentley there!

[dmgty88]

I think more than just the technical prowess of Ms. Norman, the simple melody and powerful lyrics of the classic moved this crowd. There are just so many souls longing for grace and freedom in this world.

[AleksandraPlamenac]

She is sooooooo wonderful!!!!!!!!!!!!! I adore her!!!!!! I was at her live concerts twice, the best experience I've ever had!!!

[necrogoddess]

1:11 suena como un tenor!! que voz tan potente!!

[nooyawkfun]

Listen to her enunciation! Jeez!

[bigpussy214]

Amazing.

[Tommyfazz]

Written by a captain of a 'slave' ship out of Liverpool.

[evewiemer]

What a power, what a feeling. Brava, Jessye. She open my heart.

[aandretrain]

Excellent!

[LeslieElizOn]

woow... this is amazing...

[aireen58]

lol her hair is flown by the wind

[bsod4u2]

Perhaps the best voice in the world,she has no match.

The so called divas cannot even shine her footwear! They sound like little girls with no voice compared to this lady.

In her singing prime she was pure perfection.

[swanningaround]

SenaForever. Jessye Norman is no Diva. That is an insulting term meant to describe the likes of celebrity lifesyle women like Mariah Carey. Kiri Te Kanawa calls them divers. Jessye is a true operatic soprano.

[swanningaround]

Sena. I thnk Jessye Norman is truly wonderful. It is just that people use this term usually in connection to black pop singers like Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey.

[SENAFOREVER]

I apologize if I hurted your feelings.

[swanningaround]

SenaForever. You can put your comments back. You ceratinly haven't hurt my feelings. I love Jessye Norman and her singing as you do. I also have great respect for what you did, and your decency as a person.

[tiernan87]

@swanningaround No, no, no! "Diva" used to be highly complimentary, deriving from "divine one". it was a title given in high esteem and respect. it did not use to have the negative connotations it does now. La Norman IS a diva! in the GREATEST sense of the word.

[swanningaround]

tier. Unfortunately the word does have negative connatations, as you say. Prima donna is better, although that also have negative slants. In ballet, the top ballerians are "prima ballerina assolutas". This is never negative.

[mmdillons]

You're absolutely incorrect, Swanning... Diva has always referred to the female lead of an opera. RECENTLY, it has been used inappropriately, albeit humorously, to represent female celebrities who supposedly act like "prima donnas," which also comes from the opera world. So you see, Ms. Jesseye Norman is a Diva of the highest order; the little pop and movie stars for which the term is used nowadays are divas with a small "d," especially when mentioned in the same breath as the great Ms. Norman!

[swanningaround]

mm. The celebrity singers like Taylor Swift and Beyonce are now called divas. They have taken over the term from the opera world. People that I like such as Deanna Durbin and Barbara Bonney were never called divas. The term is usually used by black female singers or female singers who are arrogant.

[sunnymuffins92]

just like a black person to drag out a song =)haha umm. . .Jessye hun your facials were scaring me haha but you sounded great 2 thumbs up!

[Yasminimani]

She sends shivers down my spine! Amazing Jessye Norman!

[SENAFOREVER]

Let us be thankful.

[shantibel]

Just extraordinary.  Thank you.

[chwillwin]

What a beautiful and powerful voice!

[1504Sasha]

Voice of the goddess

[ElderPinkerton]

You are so right. I am in total awe of her talent. She is so graceful and a perfect lady. She is radiant when she sings.

[nuitetjours1]

maximum.

[MrUnidyne]

A stadium full of rock 'n' rollers rendered silent by a solo a capella performance by one of the greatest operatic sopranos alive.

I absolutely ***LOVE*** it!

[nataschakl]

To listen to this...that's amazing grace..

[Lanark8]

2:56 this is real singing. From the heart! I suppose thats what it is all about!!! What an interesting life Ms. Norman must have and had. Moves me to tears actually. Not sadness, but joy.  Despite all the difficulties, racism, judgement, hatred...etc. She made it!

[MarKidLV]

She is AMAZING!!!!!

[ProfessorSuckMah]

everything about this woman is exeptional: her voice, her personality, her musicianship...

[Lalahbug]

This is so crazy! This woman sounds like a tenor/soprano mix...weird but truly awesome!

[daniacutie]

she has so much potential but did she die already or is she still alive

[cashmerequeen]

She is still alive.

[balladtree]

LMAO @ potential....

[Lcaspia]

potential?! She's Jessye Norman!!!!

[DownInMontegoBay]

@daniacutie She is quite alive .. in her mid 60s. An awesome woman.

[DarrylTaylorCT]

@daniacutie Jessye Norman is one of the preeminent voices of the 20th century. I'd say she quite fulfilled her potential!

[walchiria08]

fa schifo, sembra a rallentatore

[msannie1]

I love this woman, and this song. I have had the pleasure to see this amazing woman three times doing Wagner's Ring. What I would give to have even a five minute chat with this woman. That will never happen, but I appreciate her, and her musical talent.

[MrUnidyne]

You have to remember that she gave this performance before a stadium full of rock'n'roll fans who probably never heard a classical singer in concert before. She pulled out all the stops and blew all these kids away, proving that with a skilled voice, a'capella can outdo any heavy metal power chord.

[krawdied]

i actually disagree. I understand she is a very talented singer, I think it was more the song she sang than the skill of her voice.

[melimber]

What makes Amazing Grace a good song is the real story behind it, even if I am personally not fond of this rendition.

Written by John Newton, a slave trader. He came to know God during a bad storm that nearly threw him overboard. He came to see the light only gradually, continuing to trade slaves even after his conversion. Later, though, he renounced his profession, became a minister, and later fought against slavery. When he wrote '...That saved a wretch like me,' he meant those words.

[Operanut9]

The real story is part of the unease I feel when I hear this song, particularly at national events. Not everyone subscribes to this "conversion theology." And somehow, to dislike this song is like going against God and country. It certainly does not represent any theology that I would subscribe to,and as I said, the scooping melody just simply grates. If I had written the lyrics in apoetry class, I would have received an "F' for sure.

[melimber]

LOL! To dislike this song is definitely not going against God and country, except if you are some provincial minded tard that thinks waving a flag and fireworks is what makes this country great, and attending Sunday school is what makes God love you more.

Yes, one can subscribe to it as being truth or just another fairytale in life. I just personally like that story. If I had never heard it, I may also have found these lyrics about as riveting and moving as "Row, Row, Row Your Boat."

[Operanut9]

"Amazing Grace," the most overblown song ever written.The sentiment is about as profound as that in Kilmer's "Trees." The scooping melody drives me insane and the strained grammar is always grating. And to cap it all, a theology that makes me queasy. The fact that we drag it out for any national occasion, doesn't say much for our cultural and spiritual level. Sorry, Can't stand this song!

[DivoLaurent]

then don't listen to it ;)

[howdidienduphere]

I agree. Perhaps it's overexposure, but even the goddess Jessye Norman can't make "Amazing Grace" palatable to me. *sigh* I had to watch this video, though - after all, it's Ms. Norman.

[JWEST456]

She blends her head and modal registers very well. Jessye is a real pro. Bravo!

[SopranoLeggero]

wonderful! beautiful!

[W46boy]

awesome!!!!

[strohssadida69]

INCREDIBLE! This one song sent such a powerful message right round the world, I was just stunned when I saw it all those years ago and it is wonderful to see it again now.

The worldwide support for Nelson WORKED and this song was just a part of that, but what a STRONG PART it was.

[arredifestivi]

bello

[atyy73]

Well, a very dignified and stately version. Flat? I thought sharp.

[Ozthelurker]

I LOVE Jessye Norman and honestly I think she has one of the most powerful and riches voices you will every come across now a days in opera. Opera really isn't what it used to be. I think she did such a tremendous job singing Amazing Grace a Capella and both her belt and more classical soprano shines through. It's very moving, thank you so much for posting this!

[Marlon062281]

why do people always have to post something negative?

[cashmerequeen]

this is so true, why can they not just enjoy the music...

[primomezzo]

Jessye Norman is terrific!! Thanks for standing up for her.

[mexicojack1]

@cashmerequeen

And yet there are only 5 people out of 141 that have to be that way. It sucks that they ruin these moments such as these.

[desongmaker]

Thanks Cashmeer for posting such a beautiful and powerful delivery by this wonderful singer. Wow!!!!!!!!!!!!

[bigblatino]

POWERFUL!

[VoyArrasando]

Yayyyy! im happy to see you ve uploaded a video cashmeer! Especially this one! GO JESSYE!

[neurosciencecenters]

Wow...how powerfull!!