Omo Bello: Celebrating African Art Song

Omo Bello is an acclaimed French-Nigerian operatic soprano , and in this episode we are focussing on her newly-released album “African Art Song” on Somm recordings with pianist Rebeca Omordia. Many of you heard my episode this past summer with pianist and curator of the African Concert Series, Rebeca Omordia, and I’ll be linking that episode below for you.  

Omo talked to me about overcoming shyness and stage fright,  her childhood and university years in Lagos, Nigeria, and some of her mentors including Grace Bumbry and Thomas Quasthoff.  I was fascinated to gain insights from her life as an opera singer, and to learn about many of the composers from Africa and the African diaspora featured on this wonderful album, including Ayo Bankole, Fred Onovwerosuoke,  Ishaya Yaron, Chirstian Onyeji and Shirley Thompson . 

 Like all my episodes, you can watch this on my YouTube channel or listen to the podcast on all the podcast platforms, and I’ve also linked the transcript to my website:  https://www.leahroseman.com/episodes/omo-bello

Episode with Rebeca Omordia: https://www.leahroseman.com/episodes/rebeca-omordia-african-pianism

African Art Song album: https://somm-recordings.com/recording/african-art-song/

Omo Bello website: http://www.omobello.com/about.html

Omo Bello instagram: https://www.instagram.com/omo_bello

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photo: Vincent Pontet

Timestamps:

(00:00) Intro

(02:53) African Art Song album with Rebeca Omordia

(09:12) Ayo Bankole

(10:40) Ayo Banko’s Adura fun Alafia Prayer for Peace

(14:22) Ayo Bankole

(17:00) Omo’s childhood and university years in Lagos

(32:22) Fred Onovwerosuoke, cultural context to interpret this music

(39:13)  excerpt of “Ngulu” by Fred Onovwerosuoke 

(40:11) the voice as instrument

(44:49) other episodes you may like, and different ways to support this series

(45:33) Grace Bumbry

(53:44) Shirley Thompson

(58:15) excerpt from  Shirley Thompson’s "Psalm to Windrush”

(59:44) Omo Bello Music Foundation in Nigeria

(01:07:47) Ishaya Yarison

(01:10:26) excerpt from Ishaya Yarison’s Ku zo, mu raira waƙa 

(01:11:54) Christian Onyegi, African Art Song album themes

(01:15:34) Giri Giri by Christian Onyegi

(01:17:31) percussionist Richard Olatunde Baker on the album, transmitting oral tradition of the music

(01:20:46) challenges in music education in France

(01:28:17) Thomas Quastoff, Des Knaben Wunderhorn album

(01:34:21) challenges and joys of an opera singer