Battle, Kathleen Deanne (1948– )

US soprano. She sang with major orchestras before making her Metropolitan Opera debut in 1978. She is known for the purity and range of her voice, and her vivacious stage interpretations have added to her popular appeal. She has won several Grammy awards and has made hundreds of recordings of classical artists such as Handel, Purcell, Mozart, Strauss, and Gershwin, as well as traditional black spirituals and folk songs.