The Kennedy Center is also honoring another New York City native, classical soprano Martina Arroyo. Arroyo was born and raised in the Harlem area in 1937. She began her career in opera in the 1960s. The African-American-Hispanic singer was entering the industry when few blacks performed at major opera houses. She helped break down the racial barriers in the opera world.
Martina Arroyo starred in many shows over the next 20 years at all the famous opera houses including La Scala in Milan, Italy, the Paris Opera in France and the Metropolitan Opera in New York City.
Here she sings as Aida, from Guiseppe Verdi’s opera of the same name.
The final Kennedy Center honoree is jazz great Herbie Hancock. The 73-year-old pianist, composer and bandleader modernized jazz with his use of electronic instruments.
Herbie Hancock was born in Chicago, Illinois. He began playing classical piano very young. At the age of eleven, he played with the Chicago Orchestra. Several years later he taught himself how to play jazz, just by listening to the music.
Jazz legend Herbie Hancock of the US performs at the jazz festival in Kyiv, Ukraine, 31 Oct 2010
Hancock has won fourteen Grammys and an Oscar for his work. He has worked on many projects with artists from different music styles. The Kennedy Center calls Herbie Hancock “a true living treasure of American culture.”
I’m Faith Lapidus. Our program was written by Jim Tedder and Caty Weaver, who was also the producer.
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