Sing Her Name: A Novel by Rosalyn Story (Agate Publishing, 2022)
—Cathy Ritchie
Rosalyn Story has been a violinist with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra since 1987, but her talents also extend to writing. In 1990, she authored the wonderful chronicle And So I Sing: African-American Divas of Opera and Concert (Grand Central Publishing), which I never tire of re-reading. In recent years, she has focused on fiction; her latest effort is Sing Her Name, which includes a bit of “could have been” history blended within its primarily realistic setting.
The action unfolds in both 1919 and 2006. Story’s 21st-century main character is Eden, a thirty-something Black woman with a notable though untrained singing voice of classical quality. She and her teenage brother have escaped the ravages of Hurricane Katrina and landed in New York, where Eden struggles mightily to support them both. Her challenges are numerous and formidable, but via family happenstance, she comes to possess a necklace and scrapbook clippings that once belonged to a celebrated early-1900s Black soprano.
Celia DeMille was feted by kings and presidents in her day, but was never allowed to record her voice for posterity; she lost chances to perform seminal onstage roles due to her race. Story alternates the narratives of Eden and Celia, and the two women’s fates intertwine in complex ways. Their parallel tales are reminders that performers of color can face skepticism, disdain, and outright invisibility in the quest to further their careers, no matter the era.
Story has partially modeled DeMille’s portion of the text on the inspiring life of the Black classical soprano Sissieretta Jones (1868-1933) who audiences in her time revered as one of history’s finest singers, even dubbing her the “Black Patti,” in homage to the legendary diva Adelina Patti (coincidentally the great-great aunt of Patti LuPone). In 1892, Jones became the first African-American singer to headline a concert at Carnegie Hall. However, the prejudices rampant in that era ultimately prevented Jones from achieving lasting stardom, and eventually she died in obscurity.
Story provides an Afterword with further insight into the real-life singer’s journey, thus giving readers a full introduction to the inspiring history of this formidable, long-ignored artist. Though Jones has been receiving more notice of late: In 2013, Maureen D. Lee authored the performer’s first full-length biography, Sissieretta Jones, “The Greatest Singer of Her Race,” published by University of South Carolina Press.
Modern-day Eden’s long and winding travails eventually end with success, though fortuitous coincidences seem to greet her everywhere. Realistic? Perhaps not, but readers should be content to travel with both Eden and Celia, thanks to Story’s compelling characterizations and detailed settings, especially New Orleans and the post-Katrina Gulf region. Eden’s and Celia’s dual struggles to allow their exceptional voices to be heard, albeit a century apart, carry the day.
And if Sing Her Name inspires further interest in Sissieretta Jones’s life and achievements, Rosalyn Story will have given an additional welcome gift to us all.
