Mattiwilda Dobbs | |
|---|---|
 Dobbs in 1957 | |
| Born | July 11, 1925 Atlanta, Georgia |
| Died | December 8, 2015 (aged 90) Atlanta |
| Education | Music and Spanish degree, Spelman College, 1946 |
| Occupation | Opera singer |
| Years active | 1951–1974 |
| Known for | First successful African-American woman at the Metropolitan Opera |
| Spouse | Luis Rodriguez (1954–1955) Bengt Janzon (1957–1997) |
| Father | John Wesley Dobbs |
Mattiwilda Dobbs (July 11, 1925 – December 8, 2015) was an American coloratura soprano and was one of the first black singers to enjoy a major international career in opera. She was the first black singer to perform at La Scala in Italy, the first black woman to receive a long-term performance contract and to sing a lead role at the Metropolitan Opera, New York and the first black singer to play a lead role at the San Francisco Opera.