Singing Towards the Future: The Portia White Story

Desmond Maley is the music librarian at the J.W. Tate Library,
Huntington College, Laurentian University, and editor of the CAML
Review.

Social history is blended with biography in this account of the life and
times of contralto Portia White. Born in 1913, White was the third of 10
children and a product of Nova Scotia’s black community, which had
deep roots stretching back to the era of slavery in Canada and the
United States. In snapshot style, Lian Goodall shows how White realized
her ambition of becoming a classical singer against the backdrop of the
racial discrimination and economic hardship that Nova Scotian blacks had
to endure. The turning point for White came in the late 1930s, when she
was introduced to the Italian bel canto (beautiful singing) tradition.
After touring Canada, White scored a triumphant success at Town Hall in
New York in 1944. She also toured the Caribbean and South America, but
vocal problems soon forced her to retire from the stage. From the early
1950s, she made only occasional public appearances while teaching
privately in Toronto. She died of cancer in 1968.

Goodall’s narrative has at times a sketchy feel. Although there is
detail about various family members, colleagues, and teachers, I found
myself wanting to know more about White herself—for instance, her
vocal difficulties, declining health, and teaching methods. Still,
Singing Towards the Future, which is intended for young readers,
deserves a qualified thumbs-up for its portrayal of a gifted woman who
beat the odds to become a hero to her community. Highly recommended.