Grace Bumbry Interview - part 1/4

[VoiceClassical]

I love this lady! She sang everything in the dramatic repertoire!

[goldenthroat86]

"My voice is now bigger than ever. There's nothing I can do about it. I sing according to the dynamics written in the score, and if others cannot keep up with me, I cannot help it. I will not scale down my voice for anyone."

Grace Bumbry in an 80's radio interview with Stefan Zucker

[goldenthroat86]

Actually, her way of speaking reminds me a LOT of Callas. Both were born in the US, and both lived for many years in Europe, speaking languages other than English most of the time.

[OperaMystery80]

Grace really loved FAST CARS and sport cars! So did Karajan!!!

[manabusama]

She has so much class, wow. And her speaking voice is just as enjoyable as her singing voice. What a great lady..

[Akee1990]

I love the way she talks.It's so clear.TAKE NOTES WACKA FLOCKA!!!!

[vhanrashad]

@Akee1990 ^This comment caused all of the oxygen to leave my body. This is the funniest thing I've ever read. My sentiments exactly!

[annettemint]

Being a Southern girl myself, I definitely detect bits and pieces of a Southern accent. I'm guessing like many classical singers though, her accent is mixture of languages. My Southern accent is usually hidden away unless I get excited or upset. An example of this is at 4:08, her accent starts off very Southern and then turned into something else....She is absolutely memorizing.

[BrentAudi]

This is awesome!

Thank you so much!

[RaineaTrenton]

You can hear them southern roots down there! 

[violinist1990]

She's so classy. 

[raigekimaru]

she's like a dark maria callas

[Babs22h]

I love her cheeks! her resonance beams from them!

[breakaliciouskid786]

he voice is sooo awesome.

its like a mix of southern British and a little bit of Spanish i <3 it :D

[Schollistico]

What a gracefull laugh she has!!!!

[americangalbasseyfan]

Great seeing this again! Sensational Miss Grace.

[goldenthroat86]

Her speaking voice sounds a LOT like Callas here.

[raigekimaru]

@goldenthroat86

her singing voice sounds like Callas too

[TheReturnOfStephan1]

Her speech isn't "affected". If one chooses to really hear, one can hear her southern roots, classical education and Baptist church background which, in itself, has a far more enunciated, articulate speech pattern than one would imagine, especially if one's only experience with the Baptist church extends to those insane redneck televangelists.:)

[franz0woyzeck]

@TheReturnOfStephan1, yeah I know I can hear her Southern accent as well. She also speaks German and you really should expect her to be talking about bacon bits and biscuits in this interview. Grace is absolutely grande isn't she!!!!!!

[moghedien13]

@TheReturnOfStephan1 who cares if its affected? shes grace bumbry. she can do what she wants.

[couturesixfour]

so cfan...who is your favorite singer?

[coloraturafan2]

porbably not wise of me to mention here :)

[dacor31]

@coloraturafan2

Why can't you tell us who is your favorite singer ?

[coloraturafan2]

I like so many it is hard to have a favorite... and if I did mention one name it would only fuel the whole "this singer is better than that one" debate.

[cwatkiss]

Amazing Grace!

[sujagz]

Truly an American icon!!!

[Jenniferhos]

Yes I think she is trying to imitate Callas here with her speaking

[alecs1976]

@Jenniferhos

I totally agree :) !

[Jenniferhos]

what year was this?

[tim23z]

Just recently found out about her as she was honored in the States by the Kennedy Center recently. Beautiful voice. Her accent actually is very common for people from Virginia, USA of high skill and training, as well as culture.

[americangalbasseyfan]

I can appreciate you, and your fine comments. It's not everyday that I meet a well-informed YouTuber. Have a great day.

[weenosu]

isn't she from missouri?

[aageletakis]

Is it just me, or is her accent and speech pattern very similar to Callas on interview?

[courtneybaritone01]

VERY!!!!! VERY!!!! SIMILAR!!!!

Like exactly lol

She sorta caught flack for statements she made about admiring Maria Callas so much.

[lekkerejongen]

It comes from singing and speaking in many languages. It might sound affected, but if you sing in so many languages, you become strange in your speech.

[jadiegotsoul]

thats why he has the accent or is she tlkin liike bcuz its an english man

[SandrineSoprano]

Love her!

[waterfordwinstons]

Zegermans750......British accent are you kidding!!!!!!!! Do you realize that this is what happens when one Speaks Many tongs.........She speaks very Clear....... Very Very Transatlantic We Love you Miss Bumbry ..... Some People really should GET A LIVE...........

[JRhuewing]

For those who comment on her speech...I believe you mean she speaks with clarity and diction alongside poise...perhaps you can learn something...

[dulcicantor]

I love this woman. So much. She's so humble, and I love her accent. Trans-Atlantic?  It sounds like it.

[castodivo]

I couldn't agree with you more!!

[TheMakeupMistress]

I think so sounds no different from  any other southern classy lady just like tiTina Turner who also has a natural accent but is from Tennessee!

[SiEtIn1]

she might be from st louis, but she was traveling around the world singing in various languages while you "honey", were commenting on YouTube

[zegermans750]

why is she speaking with a british accent she's from St. Louis

[romarius2005]

I agree. Strange as this may sound, when she speaks, I hear two voices. One dark, round tone, and one clear, small, and sharp tone in the middle of the round dark tone..

[moghedien13]

LOVE HER!!! what a class act and legendary singer.

[distefano13069609]

when she starts to talk about her past and music, she talks sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo­o fast! But BRAVA GRACE!

[dulcicantor]

Ha, you're right.

[righteousness16]

Does she still live in Switzerland or is she here in America

[sonjaxfactor]

where is lake lagano?

[Klassizismus]

Lugano is a town in Switzerland.

[sonjaxfactor]

thank you.

[righteousness16]

lol.I was gonna ask the same thing

[LadyTrelle]

I came across Grace Bumbry for the first time at this moment while I was looking for something to write a paper I will definately be listening to more of her works. Thanks for posting!

[blktenor]

Hey that's how I found out about Grace Bumbry also, through a paper I had to write for class!

[strauss922]

We should all take note! Poise, grace, strength, humor, molto personality! This is how all teh DIVAS should be!! I love it.

[Operaman41]

TRUE! A True Diva is Always a Lady! Like a Divo should always be a Gentlemen.

[foropera]

It's really hard to believe her when she says she was a very inhibited person before she met Madame Lehmann. But that might be true. She has such a look of a royal predator when she sings, and that's also a bit of her reputation with some of her colleagues.

She 's really beautiful, and it's nice to see people you admire, young again, talking and running and riding a car like that: she looks like a leppard. Thank you!!

[KORINADAVA]

truth about the soprano thema i think, she was mad of being something like ......... Kallas

i love grace

[cincytuckyblk]

Wrong side of the tracks? I know this was an old interview.

[Desideria7]

Which year the film has been made?

[smcandsmc]

That wig, that purple catsuit-- what a stone cold superfox. Someone needs to invent a new word for how fragging fabulous she is.

[Birgitt20]

She's not just a singer, she's Grace Bumbry! I really love her!

[courtneybaritone01]

OMG Thank you so much for posting this. I have been asking about this footage for years! Grace is my absolute favorite, and I LOVE these telling interviews. Thanks!!!!!!

[SENAFOREVER]

Gran Dio, Fantastic! Thank you!!!

[Klassizismus]

Grace is really one of the greatest opera singers!

[ariodante76]

I love Grace in that dark purple ensemble.

[Klassizismus]

WOW! Thank you sooo much for this! I only had the audio of this interview, but to see Grace is even better! Thank you soo much, I can't wait for the other parts :)