Opera star Grace Bumbry dead

The mezzo-soprano Bumbry was long associated with The Metropolitan in New York. The opera house describes her in a statement as one of the “brightest shining stars of the last century”.

Bumbry broke through internationally in 1960 as Amneris in Verdi’s “Aida” at the Paris Opera. She was one of the opera world’s first African-American stars, paving the way for other black opera and concert singers.