Leontyne Price

Leontyne Price ( LEE-ən-teen, lee-ON-teen; born Mary Violet Leontine Price, February 10, 1927) is an American singer who was the first African-American soprano to receive international acclaim. From 1961 she began a long association with the Metropolitan Opera, becoming the first black singer to maintain a sustained relationship with the company. source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leontyne_Price