Helen Phillips
Encyclopedia
Helen L. Phillips was an American
dramatic lyric soprano
who broke though racial barriers as a concert singer and—almost in passing—on the opera
stage.
She was born in St. Louis, Missouri
, the daughter of a Baptist minister, the Rev. James Phillips. She attended Sumner High School in St. Louis and Lincoln University
in Jefferson City, Missouri
, and did graduate studies in music and in sociology at Fisk University
in Nashville, Tennessee
.
At the age of 14 she was one of the soloists at the dedication of the Municipal Auditorium in St. Louis. She was the first black singer to perform with the Metropolitan Opera
chorus (seven years before Marian Anderson
's debut—later saying she just "slipped in". Her agent had been told to send his best soprano as an extra for five performances of Mascagni's Cavalleria Rusticana
in 1947 — and though the stage manager was momentarily non-plussed by her race, did nothing to hamper her debut.
Among the stories she recounted about her world travels was an episode on the Oriental Express, when she encountered two Russian soldiers "who started deriding the United States and talking about the plight of Negroes in this country, During the course of the conversation, one took my glasses and refused to give them back. Then he tried to get fresh, and I slapped him good and hard."
Throughout the 1940s and 1950s he was primarily a concert singer, touring the United States, Europe, Africa, and South America. She was noted for her interpretation of German Lieder and Negro spirituals, and, fluent in German, toured Austria and West Germany for the State Department after World War II. She made her Town Hall
debut in 1953, and was in a City Center production of Show Boat
in 1954.
Retiring from the stage, she became a teacher and vocal coach. She died, aged 86, from heart disease at the Isabella Geriatric Center in Manhattan
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
dramatic lyric soprano
Soprano
A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...
who broke though racial barriers as a concert singer and—almost in passing—on the opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
stage.
She was born in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, the daughter of a Baptist minister, the Rev. James Phillips. She attended Sumner High School in St. Louis and Lincoln University
Lincoln University (Missouri)
Lincoln University, a historically black college, is located in Jefferson City, Missouri. In 2007, according to U.S. News and World Report, Lincoln University was ranked #3 for economic diversity, #5 for campus ethnic diversity, and #9 for most international students among master's level...
in Jefferson City, Missouri
Jefferson City, Missouri
Jefferson City is the capital of the U.S. state of Missouri and the county seat of Cole County. Located in Callaway and Cole counties, it is the principal city of the Jefferson City metropolitan area, which encompasses the entirety of both counties. As of the 2010 census, the population was 43,079...
, and did graduate studies in music and in sociology at Fisk University
Fisk University
Fisk University is an historically black university founded in 1866 in Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. The world-famous Fisk Jubilee Singers started as a group of students who performed to earn enough money to save the school at a critical time of financial shortages. They toured to raise funds to...
in Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
.
At the age of 14 she was one of the soloists at the dedication of the Municipal Auditorium in St. Louis. She was the first black singer to perform with the Metropolitan Opera
Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera is an opera company, located in New York City. Originally founded in 1880, the company gave its first performance on October 22, 1883. The company is operated by the non-profit Metropolitan Opera Association, with Peter Gelb as general manager...
chorus (seven years before Marian Anderson
Marian Anderson
Marian Anderson was an African-American contralto and one of the most celebrated singers of the twentieth century...
's debut—later saying she just "slipped in". Her agent had been told to send his best soprano as an extra for five performances of Mascagni's Cavalleria Rusticana
Cavalleria rusticana
Cavalleria rusticana is an opera in one act by Pietro Mascagni to an Italian libretto by Giovanni Targioni-Tozzetti and Guido Menasci, adapted from a play written by Giovanni Verga based on his short story. Considered one of the classic verismo operas, it premiered on May 17, 1890 at the Teatro...
in 1947 — and though the stage manager was momentarily non-plussed by her race, did nothing to hamper her debut.
Among the stories she recounted about her world travels was an episode on the Oriental Express, when she encountered two Russian soldiers "who started deriding the United States and talking about the plight of Negroes in this country, During the course of the conversation, one took my glasses and refused to give them back. Then he tried to get fresh, and I slapped him good and hard."
Throughout the 1940s and 1950s he was primarily a concert singer, touring the United States, Europe, Africa, and South America. She was noted for her interpretation of German Lieder and Negro spirituals, and, fluent in German, toured Austria and West Germany for the State Department after World War II. She made her Town Hall
The Town Hall
The Town Hall is a performance space, located at 123 West 43rd Street, between Sixth Avenue and Broadway, in New York City. It seats approximately 1,500 people.-History:...
debut in 1953, and was in a City Center production of Show Boat
Show Boat
Show Boat is a musical in two acts with music by Jerome Kern and book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. It was originally produced in New York in 1927 and in London in 1928, and was based on the 1926 novel of the same name by Edna Ferber. The plot chronicles the lives of those living and working...
in 1954.
Retiring from the stage, she became a teacher and vocal coach. She died, aged 86, from heart disease at the Isabella Geriatric Center in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
.