Stand Up Straight and Sing!: A Memoir

Grammy Award-winning Jessye Norman is a once-in-a-generation star, a singer whose astonishing talent, technical expertise and incomparable stage presence have made her one of the world's foremost classical performers of modern times. The possessor of a gloriously rich and powerful voice with a uniquely wide vocal range, Jessye Norman has sought to redefine the role of a soprano and is renowned as an unparalleled modern interpreter of the operatic repertory, from Wagner to Strauss. Her genius has been appreciated the world over, earning her plaudits including a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and membership of the Royal Academy of Music. Stand Up Straight and Sing! tells the extraordinary story of Jessye's journey from small-town America to the opera houses of London, Paris, Berlin, and New York, in a career defined by astonishing longevity and relentless dedication. This is the story of the woman behind the voice, and is an absolute must-read for any fans of opera, as well as those wishing to gain an insight into the strength and determination that lie at the heart of this remarkable success story.