Portia White - The Voice of Nova Scotia

Portia White – Contralto

The Voice of Nova Scotia



Many millions of Canadians, now enjoying music, have no memory of the musical genius, Portia White.

Young Nova Scotians are surprised and startled when they are told that once there was a contralto – a refined, Black singing voice from Nova Scotia – performed at cultural Mecca’s such as New York’s Town Hall and became an idol of thousands of young aspiring musical Canadian performers such as Diana Christie and Don Franks.

In the three decades following her first Town Hall performance Canadian youth in increasing number approached her to learn to sing. She taught them voice control, elocution, diction, stage presence, not to mention languages. These attributes of an international vocal star were, according to Portia, “the things that matter.” Many wanted to follow in the dignified footsteps of Portia White and others paid her the highest compliment of all by trying to emulate her style and mannerisms.

Portia was the only Canadian talent, during her time, ever favorably compared to the incomparable, Marian Anderson. In 1968 Portia’s career ended when in a Toronto hospital Portia White died of cancer at the age of fifty-eight and thus Canadians lost this unique musical talent and heritage for all time.

As a youth in Virginia, Portia’s father was advised by his school teacher to attend Acadia College, at that time, in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada to study. He did and he studied for the Baptist ministry. He appears to have liked Nova Scotia so he remained.

In 1910, a yet to be recognized international vocal star, a classical voice of range and clarity, was born in what was considered at the time to be the most unlikely of places – the home an African Baptist minister. Were it simply that easy it would have indeed been a miracle, but innate talent requires training and cultivation. Portia, born in Truro, Nova Scotia, was the fourth of thirteen children born to Rev. W.A., and his wife, Izie Dora, White.

Her musical career commenced when she first stepped forward to audition as an extra voice for the family church choir. At home her untutored talents were nurtured. Before Portia started school her family moved to Halifax, the province’s capitol city.

At school Portia performed poorly in mathematics, but languages were her strength. She went through the same elementary school that I did, Alexandra Public school, and for secondary school she attended Bloomfield High School in Halifax and, as I did, with no particular distinction.

But by the time she was seventeen her voice was recognized to be one of exceptional quality. About 1927 she began teaching school and attended Dalhousie College where, among other things, she studied voice.

For a lesser talent than that of Portia White, beginning formal musical education and study at so advanced an age, in her late teenage years, would have proved an insurmountable disadvantage. Portia, as in all things, rolled up her sleeves and put in the effort. For Portia’s ability and musical talent this challenge was just another obstacle, less formidable than race, so she graciously moved it out of the way.

Portia taught at the Africville, segregated school and her music lessons were held on Friday afternoons at Dalhousie College. She walked the three or so miles each Friday afternoon, rain or shine, to attend those lessons. The lessons, in those days, were expensive; $3.50 per hour, but Portia paid only 20 cents per hour because she could not afford any more and because she had a recognized, great talent, obvious to all but her.

In June 1936 Acadia College conferred an honorary doctoral degree on her father and in September of 1936 Dr. White died. This loss was great both to the Black community and to Portia’s family, but as fate would have it, Portia’s luck was about to change for the better.

In 1939, the Second World War broke out and immigrants from Europe, escaping the Nazi scourge, came to Canada. Among them was Dr. Ernesto Vinci, a music teacher and concert vocalist.

“It was the case of the mountain moving to Mohammed,” chuckled Portia years later in 1945.

When Portia finished her audition with him, Dr. Vinci asked:

“How many Marian Andersons are there?”

His comment was not ingenious, although he knew she had a great talent, the real quality of her voice at that time was truly unknown to him. He later witnessed how fine a voice she had.

In 1941 Portia performed at local benefit concerts, teas and other social events. In that year a special invitation arrived for her to perform in concert at Toronto’s Branksome Hall. That concert was so successful Portia was encouraged to take a leave of absence from her $35.00 per month teaching position to devote all her time to her music.

Her success is the musical version of Cinderella, without the glass slipper.

Two years and a half later, Portia sang for the first time in New York’s Town Hall, on March 13, 1944. Portia’s program consisted of songs from the works of Scarlatti, Campra, Brahms and Verdi. She was accompanied on piano by Arpad Sandor.

The New York Times review said: “remarkable recital … Miss White is the possessor of a wonderfully rich, well-placed voice … deep and impressive in low registers, full and clear in the middle, strong and vibrant in the top tones.” The Herald Tribune, “Definitely a young artist to watch.”

Over the next six months she signed a contract with the largest concert bureau in the world at that time, Columbia Concerts Inc. By 1945 she was nearly self supporting, a rare achievement for a young performer in those days.

Of course Portia had not done this entirely without the support of the community from which she came. An international artist required the finest of gowns, money could buy; money to pay for necessary publicity so essential to a promising young vocalist’s career and money to allow for the style of travel, commensurate with the talent of a rising star. Portia’s family could afford none of this; in fact, neither could a small province like Nova Scotia was at that time without assistance from the private sector.

The Nova Scotia Talent Trust was established for this purpose. It was essentially because all Nova Scotians supported the talent of Portia White that she went in fine style and glamour to New York draped in a fine white fox cape, the height of fashion at the time.

Never in the cultural history of this province had one, little-known, female, Black vocalist owed so much to so many anonymous donors as did Portia White and it can be said of her, she never forgot it. Still, it was Portia’s talent, and hers alone, that brought her success.

Saturday Night Magazine of November 1, 1947 featured Portia White, among other international stars, such as Conductor, Arthur Rubinstein, Violinist, Yehudi Menuhin, Singer, Jeanette MacDonald, Harpsichordist, Wanda Landowska and Pianist, Vladimir Horowitz in a feature article written by Canadian photographer, Yousuf Karsh. Karsh writes of Portia White:
“She has a beautiful voice, glorious eyes, a sweet personality and all the sincerity in the world. That day I gave my best and took untold pains.”

Her success throughout the late forties and fifties speaks for itself. Perhaps the highlight of her career may have been her Command Performance in October, 1964 at Charlottetown’s Fathers of Confederation Centre for Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh. The Toronto Telegram’s staff reporter, Richard Cole, reviewed the performances for his readers and his accounts of the gowns, and formal evening dress and pageantry were remarkable in detail. Portia’s performance was outstanding.

I like to remember Portia White for her dedication and perseverance. These qualities are best illustrated in a 1945 interview when she said:

“Often before a concert I am too nervous to sleep, I lie awake and go over the whole program complete with encores.”

Though at times self-possessed, as we all can be, she could, when the moment came, "detach herself, and she became her own and harshest critic”

“I have a facility for dividing myself in two. Putting one half of me in the wings while the other half sings on stage. I have a great time in the wings, mocking at the on stage me. I say, do people really think she’s a wonderful artist? Why, there’s so much she has yet to do.”

Today, perhaps more than ever, Portia White, as a role model, is still influencing careers and inspiring great accomplishments in artists in Canada and in Nova Scotia.



This article was written by F. Stanley Boyd in 1992 and published in the Halifax Chronicle Herald’s Weekend Magazine in that year.

In Memoriam

On February 1, 2006 Portia’s brother, George Albert White died at age 84. Mr. White was one of the finest members of our community; he was employed in retail pharmacy at Scotia Drug Centre from which he retired in 1985. He was a soft-spoken, generous man of great character; I miss him, as do members of my immediate family and my community.

Next Portrait

In the next portrait we will have a look at the life of African American blues singer, Bessie Smith, from the deep south: how she lived and how she died, is a stark contrast to African Canadian, Portia White.


Learn more about Portia White ctrl click the link below:

http://www.cbc.ca/maritimemagazine/archives/040222_portiaWhite.html


Well wishes,

F. Stanley Boyd