Jessye Norman interviewed by Patrick Watson

[VideoWin1]

She makes me want to scale the highest peak! She is so refine, sweet and cultured. She speaks well because she thinks well. There are role models and then there are real models...very much love are inspired by this woman.

[babs22hh]

did he ever steal your dress

{wtf]

no he only bought me flowers!

[yesblanche]

Yes Jessye!! What a fabulous diva!!!!

[TerrancePogue]

I love it I love it I love it I love it

[NaWaOOOO]

I love the way she speaks!!!

[evewiemer]

what a wonderful voice!

[nzlove]

Wow, if I may say, I just want to comment on how wonderful and thoughtful I think the interviewer was in this interview. I have been watching a lot of interviews of great artists such as Jessye Norman by our "modern-day" reporters, and unfortunately, I must say that I have been disappointed time after time by their shallow and disrespectful questions.

Of course, Jessye Norman is ever so graceful in giving her answers as well.

Just magnificent :)

[grai]

she seems so nice

[christiaandhooghe]

She is so sweet!!!!!!

Smart woman, amazingly respected singer.

[nailycai]

Gosh I love her so much.

[Shanniquitie]

this talk of 'putting on airs' or whatever is such nonsense. she is a beautiful creature, she is not commonplace. why must some jealous souls seek to drag these people down? be silent, listen, learn. hearing this is a privilege.

[DaDaddySF]

@Shanniquitie

An absolutely stunning and captivating creature she is.

Just listening to her speak, watching her speak, is a privilege.

It amazes me that we live in a society that stresses self improvement but god forbid you should dare to change the manner in which you express yourself verbally.

I think all of us have more than one "voice" or vernacular that we use depending on with whom we are speaking or what we wish to express.

[sumar26]

@DaDaddySF very interesting thought!

[musicismylife17blue]

she lived in europe for a long while. i'm sure if I lived in germany I would pick up german so he accent is something she picked up

[Itoh2Itoh]

Who the hell cares what accent she has, her singing voice is so beautiful ... I'd be happy listening to her breathe!

[sumar26]

@Itoh2Itoh GReat!!!

[bigblatino]

She speaks English well. Is that a crime?

And since most of you don't know her. How would you know she is 'putting on airs?'

Long live Jessye Norman!

[minkoss]

I am in love with you for your comment!

[Anizarm]

Please can somebody spell the name of the composer she mentions at 5,08 ? I want to find those songs in Youtybe...

[JeeRant]

She's talking about the 'Ruckert-Lieder' by Mahler, I believe.

[JeeRant]

Ruckert wasn't the composer; he wrote he poems.

[jackofclubz]

She talks like Sidney Poitier.

[nailycai]

What does that mean?

[onassis73]

This is wonderful!!! Thank you for posting !

[MorenitaDeSamba]

Please note that she has hybrid Southern American and British accent. It's not fake. The Southern American accent is a moderation of an English accent to begin with. The east coast accent of older generations is very similar (connecticut). It was the standard accent that actors needed to have for many years. Oprah Winfrey has a subtle trace of it. So do Diane Carole and Syndey Portier. They acquired it because of acting. She aquired it from living abroad.

[blasianFMA]

tell me more about this, because I'm still like "WOMAN you from Georgia!!! what's with the accent!?!?" ..... yeah....

[grai]

I think she would sound very American to most Brits

[Alexmeister25]

She live in USA our Europe, no is importat, but she sind perfect, speaking perfect with consonant in punto, perfect time, she speak germany, italian, france, so so espanisch, she hes a big culture and all fantastic conductors in the world, exemple: James levine, (Herbert von karajan), he is died now, Sir geoge solti, Zubin metha, Kurt mansur, and others love and respect the voice, a big voice of Jessy Norman, and for me she is a lovely woman.

[TrebleB4Mi]

I love that she admitted to getting very emotinally involved in her singing. It is something that has always come across in her singing I.E. her "When I am laid in earth". She was nearly in tears by the end of the song and even the applause didn't break her concetration. She didn't come to until the conductor acknowledged her.

[Bahia82]

whoa "3:40-4:04", I did not know that, I always thought it was the note or key range, not the sound. I doubt a lot of people realize that

[pastre999]

one can easily gaze and listen to a goddess, Madam Norman truly is one.

[shakaama]

i wish she were my mom and read my books at night to put me to sleep. i could listen to her talk forever.

i was getting closer and closer to my computer screen, so engrossed in her speech.

then the camera would switch to him and his paleness would blind me haha no offense, it's true.

she's lovely.

[montsyblackmaddona]

I love the way she speaks,and I love even more the way she sings.

[AkashaNya]

It sounds weird b/c it's a southern-american/Euro dialect. I don't believe she's faking; she lived in Europe longer than the US.

[minkoss]

I think it's just the way she talks! what the hell, she's a DIIII-VA!

[MissLimLam]

HE unfortunately DIII-ED!

[MissLimLam]

WTF is with her accent... so fake! but then again she lived in Europe!

[khamikins]

she lived in Europe for a very long time..Nina Simone speaks in a similar way

[bemaniac2]

her accent is so weird

[grenouilleGG]

You knew I'd check back, didn't you? Thank you very much for this!

[gr8holio]

You are very welcome. I am glad you enjoyed it. And by the way, it will be worth your while to check back again. :^)