Administrative Information
Acquisition Information
Gifts, Jessye Norman; James Norman (brother); and family, 2018-2020
Accruals
No further accruals are expected.
Processing History
Stephanie Akau, Melissa Capozio Jones, Shantel Lambert, and Jessica Grimmer processed the Jessye Norman Papers from 2021 to 2022. Stephanie Akau and Melissa Capozio Jones coded the finding aid in 2022.
Transfers
Sound and video recordings from the Jessye Norman Papers have been transferred to the Library of Congress Motion Picture, Broadcasting, and Recorded Sound Division where they are identified as part of the Jessye Norman Collection (MAVIS collection no. 17585). An inventory of this material is available in the Music Division's collection file.
These items date from the 1980s through the early 2010s, with the bulk of them originating in the 1990s. The sound recordings provide extensive coverage of Norman’s solo recitals in the United States and abroad, especially Europe. There are recordings of her signature pieces, notably Strauss’s Vier letzte Lieder, as well as works by Mahler and Poulenc. Also included are opera rehearsals and performances that highlight her Wagnerian roles.
The video recordings cover both rehearsals and works in progress, as well as copies of broadcast material often sent to Norman for approval or as a courtesy. The collection includes substantive video recordings of her collaboration with choreographer Bill T. Jones, How! Do! We! Do! , from production meetings to rehearsals at Lincoln Center. The audiovisual materials also encompass a variety of awards shows that honored or featured Norman as a performer.
Related Material
The Hall Johnson Papers contain additional arrangements of African American spirituals by Johnson.
Digital Files
Digital files were received as part of the Jessye Norman Papers and will be added to the finding aid in the near future. Access to digital content may be available onsite only in the Performing Arts Reading Room and requires advance notice. Consult reference staff in the Performing Arts Reading Room for more information.
Preferred Citation
Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: [item, date, container or digital ID number], Jessye Norman Papers, Music Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.