Camilla Williams, An Octave Above

Camilla Ella Williams was an American operatic soprano, and the first African American to have received a contract with a major American opera company.

A Woman of Firsts

• In 1946 she was the first African American to receive a regular contract with a major American opera company and made her debut with the New York City Opera singing the title role in Puccini'sMadama Butterfly. 
• In April 1954 she became the first African American to sing a major role with the Vienna State Opera when she performed her signature part of Cio-Cio-San. 
• Williams was the first African American Professor of Voice appointed to the voice faculty of what is now known as the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music in 1977 and in 1984 was the first African American instructor at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, China. 
• In 1995 she was an inaugural recipient of the National Opera Association's "Lift Every Voice" Legacy Award, honoring the contributions of African Americans to the field of opera and in 1996 was honored as Outstanding African American Singer/Pioneer by Harvard University.

Read Her Story

In 2011 her autobiography "The Life of Camilla Williams, African American Classical Singer and Diva" was published by The Edwin Mellen Press.

Hear Her Song

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camilla_Williams