Karla Burns: Difference between revisions

'''Karla Burns''' (December 24, 1954<ref name="obit"/> – June 4, 2021) was an American operatic [[mezzo-soprano]] and actress who performed nationally and internationally in [[opera]] houses, theaterstheatres, and on [[television]]. Her first major success was as Queenie in the [[Houston Grand Opera]]'s 1982 revival of [[Oscar Hammerstein II]] and [[Jerome Kern]]'s 1927 musical ''[[Show Boat]]''. This production premiered in Houston, and then toured nationally and on [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]]. For her portrayal of Queenie, Burns won a [[Drama Desk Award]] and received a nomination for the [[Tony Award]]. The role of Queenie became a pivotal part in Burn's career, and she portrayed the character in many productions internationally for two decades. For this part, she became the first black person, [[African-American]] or otherwise, to win the [[Laurence Olivier Award]], [[United Kingdom|Britain]]'s most prestigious award for theatre.<ref name="obit">{{cite worknews|url=https://www.kansas.com/news/local/news-local-obituaries/article251903038.html|title= Karla Burns, music theater trailblazer who won coveted Olivier award, dies at 66|worknewspaper=[[The Wichita Eagle]]|date=June 4, 2021|authorlast=Leiker, |first=Amy Renee}}</ref>

Burns's career spanned a broad repertoire from musical theatre, to opera, and stage plays. Her work included performances with the [[Metropolitan Opera]], [[Paris Opera]], the [[Teatro Real]], [[Cairo Opera House]], and the [[Royal Shakespeare Company]]. On the opera stage she was particularly associated with the role of Addie in [[Marc Blitzstein]]'s ''[[Regina (operaBlitzstein)|Regina]]''. She toured nationally for many years in her one woman show, ''Hi-Hat Hattie'', in which she portrayed fellow Wichitan [[Hattie McDaniel]], the first black entertainer to win an [[Academy Award]].

Burns was bornBorn and raised in [[Wichita, Kansas|Wichita]], [[Kansas]], toBurns parentswas the daughter of Ira Willie Lee Burns and Catherine S. Burns.<ref name="obit"/> The youngest of four children, Burns credited her parents with inspiring her musicallove giftsof music.<ref name="Telegraph"/><ref name="NYT"/> Her father was a jazz and gospel pianist and her mother, a seamstress and employee of the [[American Red Cross]], sang spirituals and old hymns at church.<ref name="Telegraph"/><ref name="NYT"/><ref>{{cite news|title=Brunch with Bonnie: Karla Burns|date=June 30, 2015|work=Wichita Magazine|author=Bonnie Bing}}</ref> Burns played the clarinet in a band while growing up and graduated from [[Wichita West High School]], where she played clarinet in the band and sang in the choir.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.kansas.com/news/special-reports/article1086745.html|title=Successful Wichita natives praise their schooling here|author=Bonnie Bing|date=February 26, 2012|work=[[The Wichita Eagle]]}}</ref><ref name="Telegraph"/>

BurnThe madepart herof professionalQueenie stagein debut[[Oscar inHammerstein 1977II]] whileand still[[Jerome Kern]]'s ''[[Show Boat]]'' became a collegepivotal studentrole in WichitaBurn's Stateperformance Universitycareer. atShe thefirst oldperformed Victorythe Theatrepart in Wichita.<ref>{{cite1981 work|title=Lastat Rites'the HappeningsLyric SaluteTheater Wichitain Theatre|work=[[BoxofficeOklahoma Pro|Boxoffice]]|volume=112|issue=4|date=OctoberCity.<ref 31, 1977|pagename= C4}}<"NYT"/ref> Her break throughbreakthrough performance cameas an artist was in that role in the musical's celebrated 1982 [[Houston Grand Opera]] revival of [[Jerome Kern]]'s ''[[Show Boat]]''(HGO) in which she played the role of Queenierevival.<ref name="Decker">{{cite workbook|title=Show BoatPerformingBoat: Performing Race in an American Musical|author=[[Todd Decker]]|year=2012|publisher=[[Oxford University Press]]|chapter=Queenie’sQueenie's Laugh, 1966–1998}}</ref> Directed by [[Michael Kahn (theatre director)|Michael Kahn]] and starring [[Lonette McKee]] and [[Ron Raines]], the HGO production premiered at [[Jones Hall]] in Houston in June 1982, and then toured for performances at the [[Dorothy Chandler Pavilion]] in Los Angeles, the [[Orpheum Theatre (San Francisco)|Orpheum Theatre]] in San Francisco, the [[Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts]] in Washington D.C., and finally toat the [[Gershwin Theatre]] on [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] in 1983.<ref>{{cite journal|title=B 'WAYWay RECYCLESRecycles CLASSICClassic WARESWares|author= Victor Gluck|journal=[[Back Stage]]|volume=23|issue=35| date=August 27, 1982|pagepages=39-4039–40, 42, 44}}</ref><ref name="Decker"/><ref>{{cite workmagazine|title=Legitimate: Show Outout Ofof Town -– ''Show Boat''|workmagazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|volume=307|issue=9|date=June 30, 1982|page= 84}}</ref> Burns won a [[Drama Desk Award]] and was nominated for a [[Tony Award]] for her work in this production.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ourdigitalmags.com/article/FOR+KARLA+BURNS,+LIFE+IS+A+Wild+RIDE/1427024/0/article.html|title=For Karla Burns Life Is A Wild Ride|author=Teri Mott|date=June 2013|work=Women's Focus}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20085187,00.html|title=A Tony Award Nominee, 250-Pound Karla Burns, Makes It Big on Broadway|date=June 6, 1983|work=[[People (magazine)|People]]|volume=19|number=22}}</ref><ref name="DD">{{cite journal|title=Legitimate: Drama Desk Awards at Rainbow Room|journal=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|volume=311|issue=5|date=June 1, 1983|page= 70}}</ref> The HGO production also toured overseas to the [[Cairo Opera House]] in Egypt. Burns commented in an interview that Egyptian audiences struggled to comprehend how a character with so little power could be important to the story.<ref name="Decker"/> She stated, <blockquote> I'm of the belief that Queenie is a woman who just happened to have been born in a period that didn't allow her to speak her mind ... But in Egypt they took her name Queenie for Queen. It did something to them culturally, made them feel good about having dark skins. When I was doing interviews there, they really wanted to hear that she was more than just a boat's cook. I was able to tell them, she certainly was.<ref>{{cite news|title=A rounded performance|author=[[Sarah Gristwood]]|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|date=July 27, 1990|page=31}}</ref> </blockquote>

The role of Queenie became a staple part in Burns' performances repertoire; after the Broadway production ended, she went on to recreate thatthe character in ten more productions during her career.<ref name="Decker"/> OfThe thesemost productions,significant theof most significantthem was thea 1989 revival jointly mounted by [[Opera North]] and the [[Royal Shakespeare Company]].<ref revivalname="Decker"/> ofOne ''Showtheatre Boat'critic described Burns's Queenie as, "a dynamo dumpling with enough personality to light up a whole fleet of show boats".<ref name="DeckerTelegraph">{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2021/06/17/karla-burns-black-performer-blazed-trail-winning-olivier-award/|title=Karla Burns, black performer who blazed a trail winning an Olivier award for her Queenie in Show Boat – obituary|newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph|The Telegraph]]|location=London|date=17 June 2021}}</ref> When the show moved to the [[London Palladium]] in 1991, Burns's contribution to it won her the [[Laurence Olivier Award]], the United Kingdom's most prestigious prize for theatre, for her work in the show. This was the first time that a Black artist was awarded this prize.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.centerofhopeinc.org/news/COHNwsltrFall2002.pdf |title=COHNwsltrFall2002 |access-date=April 1, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140607001629/http://www.centerofhopeinc.org/news/cohnwsltrfall2002.pdf |archive-date=June 7, 2014 |url-status=dead }} (Archive also dead)</ref> Burns again reprised the role of Queenie with [[Opéra national du Rhin]] in [[Strasbourg]], France in 2002.<ref>[http://www.iht.com/articles/2002/03/27/showboat_ed3_.php OPERA"Opera: "''Show Boat'' after 75 years"], ''[[International Herald Tribune]]'', March 27, 2002</ref> She also recorded the role in 1988 for [[EMI Classics]] with the [[London Sinfonietta]] and a cast that included [[Frederica von Stade]], [[Teresa Stratas]], and [[Jerry Hadley]] in 1988.<ref>{{cite worknews|title=Can't Help Loving That ''Show Boat''|author=[[Jonathan Yardley]]|worknewspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|date=November 7, 1988|page=B2}}</ref> In 1994 she performed the role in concert at the [[Edinburgh Festival Theatre]] for the [[Edinburgh International Festival]] with [[Sally Burgess]] as Julie.<ref name="Telegraph"/>

After the Broadway production of ''Show Boat'' closed, Burns was cast as Mary in Noa Ain's jazz opera ''Trio'', which premiered at the American Music Theatre Festival in Philadelphia in July 1984 at the [[Philadelphia College of Art]].<ref>{{cite journal|title=Legitimate: Philly Fest Has Its Moments, But Overall It's A Bit Sluggish|author= Harry Harris|journal=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|volume= 315|issue=13|date=July 25, 1984|pagepages=83, 86}}</ref> She reprised the role at [[Carnegie Hall]] the following October.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1984/10/14/arts/critics-choices-music.html?searchResultPosition=2|title=CRITICSCritics' CHOICESChoices; MUSICMusic|author=[[Will Crutchfield]]|worknewspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=October 14, 1984}}</ref> That same month she was a featured performer at the "Centenary Gala" celebrating the 100th anniversary of the birth of composer [[Jerome Kern]] at [[The Town Hall (New York City)|The Town Hall]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1984/10/17/arts/music-songs-of-kern.html?searchResultPosition=8|title=MUSICMusic: SONGSSongs OFof KERNKern|author=John S. Wilson|workauthor-link=John S. Wilson (music critic)|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=October 17, 1984}}</ref> In 1985-19861985–1986 she starred in a 22-week run in [[Joan Micklin Silver]] and [[Julianne Boyd]]'s ''[[A... My Name Is Alice]]'' at the [[Alley Theatre]] in Houston which later transferred to the [[Alcazar Theatre (1911)|Alcazar Theatre]] in San Francisco.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Legitimate: Alley Theater's 'Alice' Sets Booking In Frisco|journal=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|volume= 322|issue=3|date=February 12, 1986|page=111}}</ref> She portrayed Bloody Mary in [[Rodgers and Hammerstein]]'s ''[[South Pacific (musical)|South Pacific]]'' at the Darien Dinner Theatre in 1986.<ref>{{cite worknews|title=Darien Gets 'South Pacific' Half Right|author=[[Alvin Klein]]|worknewspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date= September 28, 1986|page=CN23}}</ref> In 1988 she portrayed Sister Robert Anne in [[Dan Goggin (composer)|Dan Goggin]]'s ''[[Nunsense]]'' at the [[Roxy Theatre (Atlanta)|Roxy Theatre]] in Atlanta.<ref>{{cite worknews|title="''Nunsense"'' Is Full Ofof Laughs Andand Fun|author=Beverly Parker|worknewspaper=[[Atlanta Daily World]]|date=February 14, 1988|page=7}}</ref>

Burns also appeared in numerous William Shakespeare plays including as the Duke of Ephesus/Luce in the 1987 [[Lincoln Center]] production of ''[[The Comedy of Errors]]'' at the [[Vivian Beaumont Theater]] with the [[The Flying Karamazov Brothers]].<ref>{{cite worknews|title=The Stage: ''Comedy Ofof Errors''|author=[[Mel Gussow]]|worknewspaper=[[The New York Times]]'|date=June 1, 1987|page=C12}}</ref> That production was filmed for [[PBS]]'s ''[[Live from Lincoln Center]]''.<ref>{{cite workbook|title=Vaudeville, Old & New: An Encyclopedia of Variety Performers in America, Volume |volume=1|url=https://wwwbooks.google.com/books/edition/Vaudeville_old_new/XFnfnKg6BcAC?hlid=en&gbpv=1XFnfnKg6BcAC&dq=%22live+from+Lincoln+Center%22+%22comedy+of+errors%22&pg=PA394&printsec=frontcover|authorauthor1=Frank Cullen, |author2=Florence Hackman, |author3=Donald McNeilly|year=2007|publisher=[[Routledge]]|page=394|isbn = 9780415938532}}</ref> She appeared in ''The Comedy Of Errors'' again, this time as Nell, with New York's [[Shakespeare in the Park (New York City)|Shakespeare in the Park]] starring [[Marisa Tomei]] in 1992.<ref name="errors">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/08/17/theater/review-theater-comedy-errors-broad-farce-made-even-broader-with-acrobats-sound.html?searchResultPosition=4|title=Review/Theater --– ''The Comedy of Errors''; Broad Farce Made Even Broader Withwith Acrobats and Sound Effects|author=[[Mel Gussow]]|worknewspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=August 17, 1992}}</ref> She returned to Shakespeare in the Park in 1993 as Mistress Overdone in ''[[Measure for Measure]]'' with [[Kevin Kline]], [[Blair Underwood]] and [[Andre Braugher]].<ref>{{cite worknews|title=The Very Human Mix of Benign and Malign: ''Measure for Measure'' A Very Human Mix of the Benign and Malign|author=[[Frank Rich]]|worknewspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=July 19, 1993|page=C11}}</ref>

On the opera stage, Burns achieved success as Addie in [[Marc Blitzstein]]'s ''[[Regina (operaBlitzstein)|Regina]]'', which she first performed at the [[Long Wharf Theatre]] in 1988.<ref>{{cite worknews|title=Mixing Opera and Pop in ''Regina'': The text is adapted from Lillian Hellman's drama ''The Little Foxes''|author=[[John Rockwell]]|worknewspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=May 9, 1988|page=C14}}</ref> She reprised that role with several opera companies during her career, including [[Opera Pacific]] in 1996 and the [[Chautauqua Opera]] in 1997.<ref>{{cite workmagazine|title=In review: Costa Mesa, CA|author= Daniel Cariaga|workmagazine=[[Opera News]]|date=July 1, 1996|volume=61|issue=1|page=53-53}}</ref><ref>{{cite worknews|date=July 11, 1997|worknewspaper=[[The Buffalo News]]|title=COTTONCotton CLASHClash|url=https://buffalonews.com/news/cotton-clash/article_62bb45b3-f481-5a61-abf3-de4281e146f5.html}}</ref> In 1989 Burns appeared at the [[Metropolitan Opera]] as Lily in [[George Gershwin]]'s ''[[Porgy and Bess]]'' (1989).<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.wichita.edu/insidewsu/n12-2-99/Karla%20Burns.html|title=Opera singer Karla Burns scheduled to visit WSU|volume=16|number=8|date=December 2, 1999|author=Nikki Hansson|work=Inside WSU}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://querywww.nytimes.com/gst1989/fullpage09/29/arts/review-opera-porgy-and-bess-catfish-row-at-the-met.html?res|access-date=950DE3DA113BF93AA1575AC0A96F948260March 26, 2024|title=Review/Opera; ''Porgy and Bess'': Catfish Row at the Met|author=Donal Henahan|author-link=Donal Henahan|worknewspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date= September 29, 1989}}</ref>

Burns is known for the one-woman musicalplay ''Hi-Hat Hattie,'' whichwhose script was written by [[Larry Parr (playwright)|Larry Parr]] and examinedexamines the life of actress [[Hattie McDaniel]].<ref name="obit"/> The show includes 14 songs, none original to the show, arranged by Gordon Twist, including "[[Amazing Grace]]", "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man" from ''Show Boat'' and "[[Saint Louis Blues (song)|St. Louis Blues]]".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.kansas.com/entertainment/article208573929.html#storylink=cpyhttps://www.kansas.com/entertainment/article208573929.html|title=Karla Burns portrays Wichita native Hattie McDaniel in limited run at Roxy's Downtown|author=David Burke|date=April 12, 2018|newspaper=[[The Wichita Eagle]]}}</ref> Burns's debut performance of ''Hi-Hat, Hattie'' was at the Players Theater of [[Columbus, Ohio|Columbus]], Ohio in 1991. She went on to perform the role in several other cities including [[off-Broadway]] in New York and the Florida Studio Theater in [[Sarasota, Florida|Sarasota]], Florida. She performed the show in 2006 in honorhonour of the issue of a Hattie McDaniel stamp and as late as the spring of 2018 after recovering from health issues.<ref>{{cite worknews|title=Karla Burns Reprises Role Ofof Famous Wichitan Hattie McDaniel Inin ''Hi-Hat Hattie''|author=Carla Eckels|date=April 12, 2018|workpublisher=[[KMUW|KMUW (NPR)]]}}</ref>

Burns's regional theatertheatre productions includeincluded roles in several plays and musicals; she appeared as Dolly Levi in ''[[Hello, Dolly! (musical)|Hello, Dolly!]]'', Katisha in ''[[The Mikado]]'', Berenice Sadie Brown in ''[[The Member of the Wedding]]'', Calpurnia in ''[[To Kill a Mockingbird]]'', Mother Shaw in Regina Taylor's ''Crowns'', Jeanette in ''[[The Full Monty (musical)|The Full Monty]]'', and Mother Superior, Robert Anne and Sister Hubert in ''[[Nunsense]]'', among others.<ref name=autogenerated2>{{Cite web |url=http://www.kslegislature.org/journals/1997/sj0404.html |title=ArchivedWelcome copyto nginx |access-date=April 1, 2008 |archive-url=https://archive.istoday/20070527004253/http://www.kslegislature.org/journals/1997/sj0404.html |archive-date=May 27, 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 2003 she starred in [[Andy Razaf]]'s ''Tan Manhattan'' at the Chicago Humanities Festival held at [[Northwestern University]].<ref>{{cite worknews|title=ARTSArts BRIEFINGBriefing: HIGHLIGHTSHighlights|author=[[Lawrence Van Gelder]]|worknewspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=November 6, 2003|page=E2}}</ref>

In addition to her appearance on ''[[Live from Lincoln Center]]'', Burns's television credits include the role of Hottie Joseph in the 1984 TV movie ''The Parade'' with [[Geraldine Page]].<ref>{{citeIMDb web|url=http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0122734/|title=0122734|Karla Burns|website=IMDb}}</ref> She appeared as Karla the Klown in the children's program ''One of a Kind'', and in the crime drama ''[[True Blue (TV series)|True Blue]]'' with [[Robert Earl Jones]].<ref name=autogenerated2 />

For the dedication of the refurbished Orpheum Theater in Wichita, Burns performed with 53 children in ''Boogie with Burns Broadway Revue'', in 2003.<ref name=autogenerated1>{{cite web|url=http://www.broadwaytovegas.com/May30,2004.html|title=Broadway To Vegas May 30, 2004|website=www.broadwaytovegas.com}}</ref>

Burns taught private voice lessons in Wichita, utilizing a piano that was once played by [[Duke Ellington]].<ref name="NYT"/> In 2007 Burnsshe had surgery to remove an almost ten-pound [[goiter]] from her neck.<ref>{{cite worknews|url=https://www.communityvoiceks.com/lifestyles/arts_and_culture/wichita-native-and-broadway-star-karla-burns-dead-at-66/article_425bf0e6-c573-11eb-8bdd-6f0685cc9b3a.html|title=Wichita Native and Broadway Star Karla Burns Dead at 66|author=Bonita Gooch|worknewspaper=The Community Voice|date=June 4, 2021}}</ref> The surgery significantly affected her speaking and singing voice, and she workedhad to seek the help withof therapists and vocal coaches in order to regainrecover her singingvocal voicehealth.<ref>{{cite worknews|url=https://www.kansas.com/article1078946.html|title=Classic ''Forum'' farce to help Forum Theatre debut|author=Bob Curtright|worknewspaper=[[The Wichita Eagle]]|date=October 9, 2011}}</ref> After four years of restoring her vocal resources, she returned to the stage in 2011 as Pseudolus in [[Stephen Sondheim]]'s ''[[A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum]]'' in Wichita.<ref name="NYT"/>

Burns was awarded an honorary doctorate in 2016 from Wichita State.<ref name="kmuw20161209">{{cite news web|last1=Eckels |first1=Carla |title=WSU Toto Honor Opera Stars Karla Burns Andand Samuel Ramey |url=https://www.kmuw.org/post/wsu-honor-opera-stars-karla-burns-and-samuel-ramey |access-date=June 6, 2021 |workpublisher=www.kmuw.org [[KMUW]]|date=December 9, 2016 |language=en}}</ref> She resided in Wichita and was active as a performer in regional theatre productions up until 2020.<ref name="obit"/>

Burns died atin age 66Wichita on June 34, 2021, following a series of strokes, at the age of 66.<ref name="NYT"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.kfdi.com/2021/06/04/broadway-actress-wichita-native-karla-burns-dies-at-66/|title=Broadway actress, Wichita native Karla Burns dies at 66|first=George|last=Lawson|workpublisher=[[KFDI-FM|KFDI]]|date=June 4, 2021|accessdateaccess-date=June 5, 2021}}</ref>

* Burns was nominatedNominated for the Tony Award for featuredFeatured actressActress in a Musical for the 1982–83 season for ''Show Boat''.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Tony Award Book: Four Decades of Great American Theater|author=Lee Alan Morrow|year=1987|page=257|publisher=[[Abbeville Press]]}}</ref>

* Burns wonWon the Drama Desk Award for the role of Queenie in ''Show Boat'' in 1983.<ref name="DD"/>

* Burns receivedReceived the Olivier Award in 1991 for her role as Queenie in ''Show Boat''.<ref>{{cite journalmagazine|title=INIn FOCUSFocus: 15th Olivier Awards Honor London's Best|journalmagazine=[[Back Stage]]|volume=32|issue=15|date=April 12, 1991|page= 2}}</ref>

* Burns receivedReceived the Kansas Governor's Arts Award for Individual Achievement as an Artist in 1991.<ref name="NPR">{{cite workweb|url=https://www.kmuw.org/post/mayor-carl-brewer-proclaims-karla-burns-week|title=Mayor Carl Brewer Proclaims Karla Burns Week|author=Carla Eckels|date=December 17, 2013|work=[[KMUW|KMUW (NPR)]]}}</ref>

* Burns receivedReceived the Kansas African American Museum Trailblazer Award in 2000.<ref name="obit"/>

* Burns was namedNamed one of the top Fortyforty faces that changed Wichita State University in the Millenniummillennium.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wichita.edu/academics/fine_arts/dean/halloffame.php|title=Karla Burns|work=College of Fine Arts Hall of Fame|author=Wichita State University|accessdateaccess-date=June 6, 2021}}</ref>

* Burns was givenReceived the Wichita Arts Council Award for Performance and Education in 2012.<ref name="NPR"/>

* Burns was aA 2016 inductee to the Wichita State University Fine Arts Hall of Fame, and received an honorary doctorate from this university in the same year.<ref name="kmuw20161209"/>

* ''Songs of New York'' (1984)<ref>{{cite workweb|url=https://www.loc.gov/item/smor.ALB-973/|title=SONGS''Songs OFof NEWNew YORKYork''|workpublisher=[[Library of Congress]]|accessdateaccess-date=June 7, 2021}}</ref>

* [[Show Boat (John1988 McGlinncast recordingalbum)|Jerome Kern: ''Show Boat'' (1988)]], conducted by [[John McGlinn]], EMI]] (1988)<ref name="Decker"/>

* Cole Porter: ''Kiss Me Kate'', with the London Sinfonietta, EMI (1990, as Hattie)<ref>{{cite journal|title=Porter: ''Kiss Me Kate''. (Josephine Barstow, Kim Criswell, Karla Burns, Thomas Hampson, George Dvorsky, Damon Evans, Ambrosian Chorus, London Sinfonietta, John McGlinn)|author= [[Richard Traubner]]|journal=[[Opera News]]|date=March 30, 1991|volume=55|issue=14|page=33}}</ref>

* ''Karla Burns...A Spiritual Mosaic'' (1998)<ref>{{WorldCat|oclc=714879657|name=A spiritualSpiritual mosaicMosaic}}</ref>

* ''Karla Burns and Earnest Alexander – A Christmas Celebration'' (2001)<ref>{{WorldCat|oclc=714894347|name=A Christmas celebrationCelebration}}</ref>

* ''Burns Byby Request'' (2004)

* {{imdbIMDb name|id=0122734}}

[[Category:20th-century African-American operawomen singers]]

[[Category:21st-century African-American female operawomen singers]]

[[Category:People21st-century fromAmerican Wichita,women Kansasopera singers]]