• Tracks

With her unparalleled versatility (she's equally renowned for her operatic repertoire as she is for oratorio and lieder) and rich, expressive mezzo-soprano voice, Grace Bumbry and her decades of stardom served as a major inspiration for generations of African-American artists. This sumptuous celebration of her 80th birthday includes a photo-filled 48-page booklet featuring an interview with Grace as well as a DVD of her legendary 1967 "Carmen" performance with Herbert Von Karajan. And the sprawling set of sublime performances on the 8 CDs: "Israel in Egypt," "Judas Maccabeus" Handel, selections from Mascagni's "Cavalleria Rusticana," Saint-Saëns' "Samson Et Dalila," de Falla's "El Amor Brujo," Verdi's "Aida" and "Il Trovatore," Wagner's "Tannhauser," lieder by Richard Strauss, Hugo Wolf, Brahms-and, to further exemplify that aforementioned versatility, her ravishing renditions of "Just Like a Woman," "Sometimes When We Touch," "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow," "My Way," "In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning" and more! Deutsche Grammophon.