Florence Cole Talbert

Florence Cole Talbert-McCleave
Florence Cole Talbert in 1925
Florence Cole Talbert in 1925
Background information
Birth nameFlorence Cole
Born(1890-06-17)June 17, 1890
Detroit, Michigan
DiedApril 3, 1961(1961-04-03) (aged 70)
Memphis, Tennessee
GenresOpera
Occupation(s)Singer, composer, music educator
Years active1910s-1930s

Florence Cole Talbert-McCleave (born Florence Cole, June 17, 1890 – April 3, 1961),[1][2] also known as Madame Florence Cole-Talbert, was an American operatic soprano, music educator, and musician.[3] Called "The First Lady in Grand Opera" by the National Negro Opera Guild, she was one of the first African American women and black opera artists performing abroad who received success and critical acclaim in classical and operatic music in the 20th century.[4][5] Through her career as a singer, a music educator, and an active member of the National Association of Negro Musicians, she became a legendary figure within the African American music community, also earning the titles of "Queen of the Concert Stage" and "Our Divine Florence."[5][6]

Most notably, she is credited with being the first African American woman to play the title role of Verdi's Aida in a European staging of the opera.[4][5][7] Talbert was also one of the first African-American classical artists to record commercially.[8]

After retirement, Talbert became a music educator.[9] She taught in historically black colleges and universities such as Fisk University, Tuskegee University,[5] and Rust College.[10] Notably, she is credited with encouraging Marion Anderson, one of the most celebrated opera singers of the 20th century, to pursue a career in classical music.[4] During this time, she also composed the words to Delta Sigma Theta's official hymn.[11]

Talbert died in Memphis at the age of 70.[12] Although she did not receive the same fame as black female artists who came after her, such as Marian Anderson and Leontyne Price, her work in the 1910s and 1920s was instrumental in paving a path for black musicians in the classical world.[1]

  1. ^ a b Brooks, Tim (2005). Lost Sounds: Blacks and the Birth of the Recording Industry, 1890-1919. Urbana: University of Illinois Press. pp. 486–488. ISBN 0-252-02850-3. OCLC 51511207.
  2. ^ African American Art Song Alliance (2007). "The African American Composers and Performers of Art Song". DarrylTaylor.com. Archived from the original on 2007-11-17. Retrieved 2007-12-24.
  3. ^ Smith, Eric Ledell (1995). Blacks in Opera: an Encyclopedia of People and Companies, 1873-1993. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland. pp. 180. ISBN 0-89950-813-8. OCLC 31076715.
  4. ^ a b c Smith, Jessie Carney (1996). Notable Black American Women. VNR AG. ISBN 9780810391772.
  5. ^ a b c d Turner, Patricia (1984). "Our Divine Florence". The Black Perspective in Music. 12 (1): 57–79. doi:10.2307/1214969. JSTOR 1214969.
  6. ^ "Madam Florence Cole-Talbert". NYPL Digital Collections.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference :6 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference :4 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference parsons was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ "Historic Black Memphians". MemphisMuseums.org. Archived from the original on 2006-02-12. Retrieved 2007-12-24.
  11. ^ Giddings, Paula (1988). In Search of Sisterhood: Delta Sigma Theta and the Challenge of the Black Sorority Movement. New York: Morrow. pp. 68–69. ISBN 0-688-13509-9. OCLC 17873327.
  12. ^ "Musical Calendar for April 3rd". NFO.net. Retrieved 2007-12-24.