A New Documentary On Opera Singer Marian Anderson Is Coming To PBS
Marian Anderson, an opera singer known as "The Lady From Philadelphia" and "The People's Princess," will soon be getting the documentary treatment. A new, non-fiction film about the singer, who broke down barriers for African Americans in the arts, is coming to PBS as part of its American Masters series.
Anderson was the first Black artist to perform at the White House (in 1936), and, in 1955, she became the first African American to take the stage at the Metropolitan Opera House. Besides her incredible voice, Anderson was known to use her platform to speak up against injustice. She sparked a fledgling civil rights movement with a 1939 concert at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington in a protest against racial intolerance.
According to IndieWire, the film will be directed by Emmy winner Rita Coburn. “When producing films about people who experienced racism and the Civil Rights movement, having a filmmaker who understands the lens of the subject is a crucial part of telling the story successfully,” said Michael Kantor, executive producer of American Masters.
“Rita co-directed our award-winning documentary ‘Maya Angelou: And Still I Rise,’ and we’re thrilled to have her at the helm of this project.”
Watch a clip of Marian Anderson below.
