Williams, Camilla (1922—)
Williams, Camilla (1922—)
African-American soprano and teacher . Born in Danville, Virginia, on October 18, 1922; youngest of four children of Cornelius Booker Williams (a chauffeur)and Fannie (Carey) Williams; Virginia State College, B.S., 1941; married Charles Beavers (an attorney), on August 28, 1950.
Won the Marian Anderson Award twice; sang with the New York City Opera (1946–54).
Camilla Williams received a B.S. in 1941 from Virginia State College where she studied with Marion Szekely-Freschl , Hubert Giesen, and Sergius Kagen. In Philadelphia, she studied with Leo Taubman. In 1943 and again in 1944, Williams won the prestigious Marian Anderson Award. In 1944, she also won the Philadelphia Orchestra Youth Award. Her operatic debut in 1946 took place at the New York City Opera, where she performed until 1954. Williams also toured widely as a concert artist. She taught at Brooklyn College and at the City College of New York from 1970 to 1973; from 1977, she taught at the Indiana University School of Music in Bloomington.
John Haag , Athens, Georgia