Heroes: Jessye Norman

"To live artfully is, to me, the whole purpose of life's journey. For you all know that creativity, artful living, equal[s] self knowledge. This knowledge can lead to wisdom, and wisdom to the understanding of others, and this understanding undoubtedly leads to tolerance. Tolerance and compassion for those around us, and those oceans away, who after all possess the same depth of spirit as we. And in this modern society Art may be the only source that invites this model for living. 'Movers and shakers of the world' indeed. Let's all try it. Art brings us together as a family because it is an individual expression of universal human experience. We have so much more in common than we acknowledge. Expressions through Art come from that part of us that is without fear, prejudice, malice, or any of the other things that we create in order to separate ourselves one from the other. Art makes us whole by existing, by insisting that we use all of our senses- our heads and our hearts. That we express with our voices, our hands, our bodies, as well as with our minds. We are all the better for Art being a part of our lives."

These words are an excerpt from a speech that Jessye Norman gave at the 2009 Mayor's Awards for Art and Culture this past Tuesday evening. I was lucky enough to have been in the audience, and these words in particular caught my heartstrings and plucked away.

Ms. Norman so artfully composes in this paragraph what I have felt to be absolutely true in an utterly abstract way for so long. This, so succinctly, is why I pursue the arts as a profession. Music is neither superfluous nor simple- it exists beyond the realm of ornamentation and background myewzik. Music can be transformative, there is no doubt in my mind.

Music can change the world.

Ms. Norman has long held my admiration, but I have to confess a sudden burst of ardor in my esteem after Tuesday night. In explanation, for those of you who aren't singers, musicians, or aficionados of classical vocal music, Jessye Norman is a musical goddess. Really, a Goddess. I fell in love with her first because she has recorded just about all of Brahms' lieder. As I have an ongoing love affair with Brahms' lieder, it was only a matter of time before Jessye's recordings and I became involved as well. Isn't it lovely that in the world of music polyamory is such an easy thing to maintain?

I have long understood that Ms. Norman was to be put on a pillar of musical status, but I only this week became aware of the breadth of her artistry. She is a complete artist- philosopher, philanthropist, creative mogul, innovator, sociologist- it goes on. What really gets me about her- what makes me feel starry-eyed, fuzzy hearted, and tipsy in the pit of my stomach, is that she uses her gift to do something wonderful in the world. Yes, she was the recipient of the lottery's best gifts with regards to singing: voice quality, neck structure, facial structure- in other words, the physical traits that enable her art to be technically amazing. However, she goes beyond making nice music. She is more than a diva. She is committed to education, to the proliferation and accessibility of the arts, and to the creation of a better world.

Damn.

I'm of the mind to begin writing an uncommitted series of blogs about my heroes, and this is my first. Jessye Norman- you make my heart go pitter-patter.

One personal anecdote:

I almost got to meet Ms. Norman the other night, but I was too nervous? polite? embarrassed? After the awards program there was a swinging cocktail party- complete with hors d'oeuvres and wine. Most of the other recipients eventually walked around to schmooze with guests. I kept looking about nervously between popping back fried mushroom risotto balls. Would Jessye Norman come out to interact with the plebeians? Would *I* get to meet her???

After a time, I began wandering in search of her under the guise of scoping out more treats or the library (the event was held in a swanky performing arts high school). Still I could not find her. Just when I thought all hope was surely lost, I thought to check back in the theater. . . et voila! C'est elle! C'est magnifique! Mais- quel domage! She was chatting with a group of friends- taking many a photo and reminiscing. She was not schmoozing- she was basking in the joy of having received an award, sharing a quiet moment with friends.

I stood by, maybe 5 feet away, for a few moments. I waited patiently, perhaps mouse-ily, for a moment when she might be available to say hello, to shake her hand, to tell her that her words had warmed a heart thickly entrenched in an abhorred ennui. I waited. And there was a moment when I could have interrupted- I could have jumped over her friends- I could have thrown myself forward and shouted "I am a singer- I love you- please, please, take a photo with me- let's pretend this is "All About Eve" but I promise we don't have to have the nasty ending-" but I let the moment pass. She was enjoying a moment with friends, and I could not bring myself to mar her joy with a used-junk-salesperson interruption. I'm sure she would have been gracious, but what would I have been?

I watched as she left. My heart did a little dive, and a thought came to me, from somewhere unknown, that perhaps this would not be the only opportunity in my life to meet such a woman.

Just read: Babette's Feast
Currently Reading: (still) The Drama of the Gifted Child and A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius