The Latest: Opera star’s hometown names street after her

By The Associated Press

AUGUSTA, Ga. — The Latest on ceremonies honouring renowned opera star Jessye Norman (All times local):

6 p.m.

Jessye Norman’s U.S. hometown has named a street for the late opera star.

Students from the Jessye Norman School of the Arts in Augusta, Georgia, unveiled the sign honouring the soprano Friday.

They removed a decorative covering with the diva’s face and her favourite butterflies to reveal the sign for Jessye Norman Boulevard.

Norman founded the school that provides a free arts education to disadvantaged students.

Two days of visitation for Norman ended Friday. Her funeral is Saturday at an Augusta auditorium.

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10:25 a.m.

Renowned opera star Jessye Norman is being honoured in her hometown with four days of celebrations and memorials.

Norman, who died Sept. 30 at 74, had hoped to live long enough to attend the renaming of the street outside the Jessye Norman School of the Arts, which she opened in 2003 to provide free fine arts education to disadvantaged children.

The ceremony on the newly renamed Jessye Norman Boulevard honours one of the few black opera singers to gain worldwide stardom.

A block away, another street honours another Augusta music giant — James Brown — whose daughter Deanne Brown Thomas attended a second day of public viewing Friday at an Augusta church.

Norman’s funeral is scheduled Saturday and a benefit concert for the school follows Sunday.

The Associated Press

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