In this month of celebrating black history let us take note of the recent passing of a significant historical figure, African American classical singer Mattiwilda Dobbs, who died in December at 90 years of age.
A soprano, Ms. Dobbs was the first African American to sing a leading role at La Scala in Italy in 1953, which she did to great acclaim. After that performance, the British magazine Opera called her “the outstanding coloratura soprano of her generation.” Her operatic career started in Europe in the early 1950’s. With a performance contract based at London’s Convent Garden from 1953 to 1958, she performed in the major opera houses across the continent.
Ms. Dobbs became the third African American to appear as a principal singer with the Metropolitan Opera in New York in 1956, following the celebrated contralto Marian Anderson and baritone Robert McFerrin in 1955. With the Metropolitan Opera she became the first black woman to receive a long-term performance contract.
To her credit Ms. Dobbs always refused to sing to segregated audiences, which obviously hurt her career as she declined offers to appear in southern states until her hometown’s Atlanta Municipal Auditorium integrated in 1961.
I have known of Ms. Dobbs since I was in high school. She was one of the many African American figures that our teachers in the black schools would stop class to tell us about. I like the opera now; however, few if any of us cared a bit about classical singing back then. Nevertheless we took pride in the achievements of people like Mattiwilda Dobbs.
In 1989 Ms. Dobbs was elected to the board of the Metropolitan Opera. She was a heroic artist, paving the way for the many black female opera stars who succeeded her.