Pioneers–Marian Anderson, Casta Diva, Norma

In today’s posts, we are going to return to the recordings of Marian Anderson. We are going to compare two recordings to show how the artistry developed for the opera can be equally applied to Spirituals, hymns or folk songs.

Let’s start with Bellini’s aria, Casta diva, from his opera Norma. The aria was written for a light, coloratura soprano. Yet, Marian Anderson is able to navigate the abrupt changes and quick flights of fancy without a moment’s hesitation. Of course, the key has been altered to fit within Ms Anderson’s vocal range as a contralto.