For half a century, Opera Ebony has been one of the guiding lights for Black performers looking to make their mark on the opera world. Born out of a necessity to develop talent often overlooked, the company gave many of its singers a much-needed break in the industry.
“Opera Ebony started in this living room, literally,” the company’s 81-year-old co-founder, Wayne Sanders, told NPR as he settled back into a vintage loveseat.
His Upper West Side apartment, filled with heavy antiques, was where he started the company in 1973, along with a white nun named Sister Mary Elise Sisson and his long-term roommate, friend and fellow musician Benjamin Mathews.
The trio was concerned about the lack of opportunities for Black performers and helping young musicians to experience opera early.
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