Stream now with KPBS+ / Watch Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025 at 8 p.m. on KPBS 2
"The Magic of Grace Bumbry" recounts the story of the African American Missouri native who rose to fame in the 1960s international opera scene. Bumbry’s rise began in the 1950s when she won a radio competition at the age of 17.
Encountering racism when she was prevented from studying at the St. Louis Institute of Music, she nevertheless achieved international renown with her breakthrough performance in Wagner’s “Tannhäuser” at the 1961 Bayreuth Festival, in which she appeared for 40 performances.
The film explores Grace Bumbry’s groundbreaking career, featuring performances from her early career leading up to her role in the 1966 Salzburg Festival production of “Carmen, ” directed by German conductor Herbert von Karajan.
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Credits: Produced by Lily Küntzle with Claus Wischmann as executive producer. A production of Sounding Images on behalf of ZDF in cooperation with Arte. It is a film by Dag Freyer. For Great Performances, Julie Leonard is producer, Bill O’Donnell is series producer and David Horn is executive producer.
SERIES OVERVIEW: For more than 50 years on PBS, GREAT PERFORMANCES has provided an unparalleled showcase of the best in all genres of the performing arts, serving as America’s most prestigious and enduring broadcaster of cultural programming. Showcasing a diverse range of artists from around the world, the series has earned 67 Emmy Awards, a Tony Honor for Excellence in the Theatre and six Peabody Awards.
