Lillian Evanti
Annie Wilson Lillian Evans ”Lillian Evanti” 1890 - 1967
In 1941, Madame Lillian Evanti founded the National Negro Opera Company. The young prodigy Evanti sang in her first public concert at age four. She sang throughout her childhood hoping to earn the opportunity to someday sing professionally. If you can believe it, you can achieve it. Evanti stated, “I’m going to learn to sing professionally under the best vocal teacher in Paris, then come back here and show.”
Evanti graduated from Howard University, the acclaimed HBCU, with a bachelor’s degree in music. After her professional debut in France, Annie Evans adopted the stage name Evanti. Despite her successful career in France, Evanti made several return trips to the U.S. capital city and performed for audiences throughout the 1920s and 30s.
Following her graduation from Howard in 1917, Evanti traveled back to France. This move was precipitated by the racial discrimination Evanti endured in the States. Evanti became the first Black singer to perform with a European opera company. Evanti the entity started to become a recognizable figure as she performed all around Europe.
With dreams of performing for the New York Metropolitan Opera, Evanti accepted an invitation to audition for the company. Unfortunately, racial animus remained alive and thriving in the U.S. and she was not asked to join. Refusing to be defined by that rejection, Evanti returned to global acclaim as she performed in Europe and South America.
Most impressively, in 1934, Evanti gave a special performance for U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt.Less than ten years later Evanti performed with the nation’s first Black opera company. The National Negro Opera Company was established by Mary Cardwell in 1941.
