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No, but she was the first to sing at the Metropolitan Opera. Camilla Williams was an African American opera singer some 10 years earlier than Marian Anderson. Ms Williams just passed away this past week. There were others, including Todd Duncan and Ann Brown, both of whom were in the original cast of Gershwin's Porgy and Bess.
She had a natural love for singing from her earliest years, so opera was just a natural progression.
Marian Anderson say opera. Being a contralto, she was able to sing both opera and spirituals. She was the first Negro singer at the Metropolitan Opera in 1955.
According to Wikipedia, 1955. Read more, below.
Marian Anderson's accomplishments include:She was born with a gift and was self-taught in music.Her first break was winning first prize in a competition sponsored by the New York Philharmonic.Marian sang at Carnegie Hall in 1928.She studied in Europe and had a successful singing tour there.She sang at the White House in 1939 at the invitation of the Roosevelts as the entertainment for a state visit by King George VI and Queen Elizabeth.She was the first African-American to sing at the New York Metropolitan Opera in 1955 and 1956.She sang at the Presidential inaugurations of Dwight D. Eisenhower and of John F. Kennedy.She was a delegate to the United Nations Human Rights Committee.
Because when you sing opera your voice has to go higher than singing normal
Not on first attempt to have her perform there. She was refused permission to do so. It may not only have been the fact of her 'colour' as a performer, but also that the intention was that she sing to an "integrated Audience" within the hall as well. Later, she was invited to sing there: Thus the hopes of the people - an integrated audience - were ultimately realized. [See Wikipedia and related links for more information.]