Wilhelmenia Fernandez

Biography

Wilhelmenia Fernandez (sometimes billed as Wilhelmenia Wiggins Fernandez; January 5, 1949 – February 2, 2024) was an American soprano and actress. She appeared in Diva, the 1981 film by French director Jean-Jacques Beineix, credited as "Wilhelmenia Wiggins Fernandez".

Wilhelmenia Wiggins was born in Philadelphia on January 5, 1949, to Ernest and Vinelee (Clayton) Wiggins. As a child, she sang with the choir of the Main Street Baptist church. In her teens, she sang with the choir of the William Penn High School for Girls and received formal training under soprano Tillie Barmach at the Settlement Music School in Philadelphia.

Fernandez began her academic training at the Philadelphia Academy...