Leontyne Price: Highlights of a Prima Donna [Hardcover]

Hugh Lee Lyon (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 9, 2007

Leontyne Price: Highlights of a Prima Donna is a collector’s item. It was published in 1973 and covers some of the most essential years of her life and career. It has circulated extensively via libraries and has been cited in a variety of magazine articles, books and encyclopedias such as: The Music of Black Americans: A History by Eileen Southern, 2nd Ed., 1985, W.W. Norton and Company, Inc.; Biographical Dictionary of Musicians, 1992; Current Biography, 1992; and Opera In America by John Dizikes, Yale University Press, 1993.

“The life-story of Leontyne Price is told by Hugh Lee Lyon in Highlights of a Prima Donna. He provides his reader with a candid view of her personal life. He brings into forefront some of the interesting hours spent at Wilberforce University and how she became an attraction in college.”—Earl Calloway, Chicago Daily Defender, Chicago Metrolitan Area, Illinois

“There is much to commend in the biography, Leontyne Price: Highlights of a Prima Donna. The author has done considerable research into the salient points of the life of this opera star and concert artist. He interviewed family, friends and early teachers of Miss Price in her birthplace, Laurel Mississippi.”—William Duncan Allen, Performing ARTS, Berkeley, California

“Hugh Lee Lyon presents Leotyne Price in a warm and sympathetic light as he tells of the shy girl from Laurel, Mississippi, who became a world opera star. He gives us valuable information on an infrequently studies area of the Black musical experience and presents a bouquet to the diva.”—ENCORE

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Hugh Lee Lyon retired from the National Science Foundation in Washington, D.C. After retirement, he performed various assignments under contract with the Environmental Protection Agency. He was nominated for Who’s Who in America and Who’s Who Among International Professionals. He conducts research on selected opera singers.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 242 pages
• Publisher: Authors Choice Press (May 9, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0595874444
• ISBN-13: 978-0595874446
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,729,550 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars ONLY FOR NOVICE PRICE FANS., September 10, 2007

By 

K. Phillips (Burlington, NC USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Leontyne Price: Highlights of a Prima Donna (Paperback)

This book was first published in 1973 and again in paperback in 2007. The first edition was admirably intentioned and welcomed, but this reissue is woefully out of date. Even though the title itself refers to highlights of the great prima donna's career, there have been many more of those since 1973. Ms. Price is 80 now and still a great contributor to music, culture, and humanitarian efforts. There is little or nothing in this book that long-time Price fans like myself don't already know. This reissue should have been updated, and one wonders why it wasn't.
We can hope that Ms. Price will write an autobiography. Meanwhile, you can find out so much more about her life and career by visiting an extraordinary website dedicated to her by a devoted fan. His research and archival materials are generous and wonderful, including many photographs of Leontyne as a child and of her parents, brother, friends, and colleagues. The easiest way to access the site is to do use a search engine like Google and type in the search box: Leontyne Price Voice of the Century. Then click the link to Philip Gregory von Quast's website dedicated to Ms. Price. There are other impressive websites that honor famous singers, but this is the most comprehensive, skillfully designed, and thoughtfully conceived one that I have ever seen. You will visit it many times.