On March 10, 1958, mezzo-soprano Marian Anderson performed at the War Memorial Opera House. Help us transcribe this concert program to find out what she sang!
Anderson began her concert career in the early twenties, studying voice and performing at selected venues in the northeast and in the south. In 1930 she felt her career had stagnated. She applied for and received a Rosenwald fellowship to travel overseas. Anderson chose to go to Europe where she could continue her vocal studies, study foreign languages and pursue more performing opportunities. Anderson's experience in Europe was a success. From Germany to Oslo, Stockholm and Copenhagen, she was immensely popular with audiences who were captivated by her rich, expressive voice. When she returned to the United States, however, the politics of racial discrimination in the United States continued to create obstacles in her career. In 1939, the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) denied her manager's request to book Constitution Hall for a concert engagement. Many were upset about her exclusion, including First Lady, Eleanor Roosevelt who resigned from the DAR in protest. In support of Anderson and as a public statement against racial discrimination, a group of local leaders, including Secretary of the Interior Harold Ickes, and NAACP Secretary Walter White, organized an outdoor concert on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. Anderson, who was a private person with her feelings originally was hesitant to perform but realized that whether she liked it or not she had become a symbol, representing [her] people. On Easter Sunday, April 9, 1939, with 75,000 people in attendance, Marian Anderson sang for her people and the nation.
Anderson's life and career continued to flourish after that important day. Marian Anderson moved to Danbury, Connecticut in 1943, with her husband Orpheus Fisher, where they bought a 48-acre Farm. They named it Marianna Farm and spent a great deal of time there where they were able to establish a close circle of friends. She continued to perform worldwide and reached another personal and professional milestone when she became the first African American soloist to sing at the Metropolitan Opera on January 7, 1955. Anderson's farewell performance was on April 18, 1965 at Carnegie Hall. Even in retirement she continued to appear publically at special events. She died on April 8, 1993 at the age of ninety-six.