Barbara Hendricks

Barbara Hendricks (born November 20, 1948) is an African-American operatic soprano and concert singer. Hendricks has lived in Europe since 1977, and in Switzerland in Basel since 1985. She is a citizen of Sweden following her marriage to a Swedish citizen.

Early life and education

Hendricks was born in Stephens, Arkansas. She graduated from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln with a bachelor's degree in mathematics and chemistry at the age of 20. She attended the Aspen Music Festival and School and then attended Juilliard School of Music in New York, where she studied with mezzo-soprano Jennie Tourel and participated in master classes led by soprano Maria Callas. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in music.

Musical career

In 1974, Hendricks made her professional operatic debut in Europe at the Glyndebourne Festival and in America at the San Francisco Opera. During her career, she has appeared at major opera houses throughout the world, including the Opéra National de Paris, the Metropolitan Opera, the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, and La Scala. In 1998 she sang Liu in the historical performance of Turandot at the Forbidden City in Beijing. Hendricks has performed more than twenty roles, twelve of which she has recorded.

Barbara Hendricks (politician)

Barbara Anne Hendricks (born 29 April 1952) is a German politician and member of the SPD.

Since 17 December 2013 she has been Federal Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety. From 2007 to 2013, she was Federal Treasurer of the SPD, and from 1998 to 2007 she was Parliamentary Secretary of State at the Federal Ministry of Finance.

Early life and career

Barbara Hendricks was born in Kleve.

After obtaining her Abitur in 1970 at the Johanna Sebus Gymnasium in Kleve, Barbara Hendricks studied History and Social Sciences in Bonn, passing the Staatsexamen examination for high school teachers in 1976. She then worked for the Association for Student Affairs until 1978. After that, until 1981, she was a deputy press secretary at the press office of the Bundestag parliamentary party of the SPD. In 1980 she was awarded a doctorate based on a thesis entitled Die Entwicklung der Margarineindustrie am unteren Niederrhein [The development of the margarine industry on the lower Rhine]. She was then press secretary of the minister of finance of the state of North Rhine-Westfalia until 1990. In 1991 she was appointed Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of the Environment, Spatial Planning and Agriculture of the State of North Rhine-Westfalia.

Amazing Grace

"Amazing Grace" is a Christian hymn published in 1779, with words written by the English poet and clergyman John Newton (1725–1807).

Newton wrote the words from personal experience. He grew up without any particular religious conviction, but his life's path was formed by a variety of twists and coincidences that were often put into motion by his recalcitrant insubordination. He was pressed (conscripted) into service in the Royal Navy, and after leaving the service, he became involved in the Atlantic slave trade. In 1748, a violent storm battered his vessel off the coast of County Donegal, Ireland, so severely that he called out to God for mercy, a moment that marked his spiritual conversion. He continued his slave trading career until 1754 or 1755, when he ended his seafaring altogether and began studying Christian theology.

Ordained in the Church of England in 1764, Newton became curate of Olney, Buckinghamshire, where he began to write hymns with poet William Cowper. "Amazing Grace" was written to illustrate a sermon on New Year's Day of 1773. It is unknown if there was any music accompanying the verses; it may have simply been chanted by the congregation. It debuted in print in 1779 in Newton and Cowper's Olney Hymns but settled into relative obscurity in England. In the United States, however, "Amazing Grace" was used extensively during the Second Great Awakening in the early 19th century. It has been associated with more than 20 melodies, but in 1835 it was joined to a tune named "New Britain" to which it is most frequently sung today.

Amazing Grace (1974 film)

Amazing Grace is a 1974 comedy film featuring comedian Moms Mabley, playing the title role of Grace Teasdale Grimes. Grace is a widow who influences the local mayoral election in Baltimore, Maryland after she discovers her somewhat slow-witted neighbor is being used to run for mayor by shady politicians and the incumbent mayor to further his own self-serving reelection efforts.

Grace knows the politicians have no interest in the betterment of the neighborhood and are only interested in getting their hands on the money that comes into it. She organizes some of the people in the community and together they devise a plan to thwart the crooked politician’s schemes.

Mabley appeared in the film a year before her death at the age of 81. The film also featured cameo appearances by veteran actors Butterfly McQueen and Stepin Fetchit.

The film's title is a play on words based on the name of the Christian hymn "Amazing Grace".

It is available on DVD from MGM, and on Blu-Ray from Olive Films.

Amazing Grace (soundtrack)

Amazing Grace: Music Inspired By the Motion Picture is a soundtrack for the movie Amazing Grace starring Ioan Gruffudd. The album features new versions of old hymns recorded by some of Christian music's more prominent artists as well as one of the most popular country artists around today.

Track listing

Some digital releases of the album omit the Jars of Clay and Bart Millard tracks.