13 Quotes & Sayings By Jessye Norman

Jessye Norman is an opera singer, who has performed at the Metropolitan Opera, New York City Opera, San Francisco Opera, and Washington National Opera. Since her debut in 1955, she has won two Grammy Awards, a Grammy Legend Award, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and has been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. Norman has recorded over 100 albums and has sung on more than 200 others. She has written three books: The Jessye Norman Book of Prayer (1997), My Mother's Song (2000), and My Soul Remembers (2001) Read more

Norman's first marriage was to vocalist Thomas Hampson. She is now married to actor Richard Gere.

1
Problems arise in that one has to find a balance between what people need from you and what you need for yourself. Jessye Norman
2
I read everything. I'll read a John Grisham novel, I'll sit and read a whole book of poems by Maya Angelou, or I'll just read some Mary Oliver - this is a book that was given to me for Christmas. No particular genre. And I read in French, and I read in German, and I read in English. I love to see how other people use language. Jessye Norman
3
I love singing jazz. I don't like the idea that classical music should be over here and jazz should be someplace else. It's all wonderful, and we should be open to enjoying it all. Jessye Norman
4
I would like to see more African-American singers as part of our opera companies. If you take music and the arts out of the public schools, then you're going to lose a lot of people that you might have discovered were talented, very early. Jessye Norman
5
I knew that I was loved. And that's such an important thing. And, of course, at such an early age, you take it for granted. Of course your parents love you. Of course Mrs. Hubert across the street loves you and your godmother loves you and your grandparents love you. Jessye Norman
6
I was given a stethoscope in a child's 'doctor's bag' at about age six and I loved it! One could hear the heart beating through that plastic toy. Jessye Norman
7
I want to keep learning, keep exploring, keep doing more. Jessye Norman
8
I have enjoyed most particularly reading the correspondence between Gustav Mahler and Richard Strauss. The genuine friendship, competitiveness and support that thread through their communications are life lessons for us all. Jessye Norman
9
I am deeply spiritual; I revel in those things that make for good - the things that we can do to shed a little light, to help place an oft-dissonant universe back in tune with itself... Long live art, long live friendship, long live the joy of life! Jessye Norman
10
'Swan, ' by Mary Oliver. Poems and prose. Reading from this book is as if visiting a very wise friend. There is wisdom and welcoming kindness on every page. Jessye Norman
11
One needs more than ambition and talent to make a success of anything, really. There must be love and a vocation. Jessye Norman
12
There's no anger ever in a spiritual. There's always the dream of a hope of a better day coming. That God understands the troubles that I'm experiencing. Jessye Norman