throughout her career, norman spent much of her time giving recitals and concerts encompassing the classical german repertory as well as contemporary masterpieces, such as schoenberg's "gurre-lieder" and the french moderns, which she invariably performed in the original tongue. this combination of scholarship and artistry contributed to her consistently successful career as one of the most versatile concert and operatic singers of her time. often cited for her innovative programming and fervent advocacy of contemporary music, she earned recognition as "one of those once-in-a-generation singers who isn't simply following in the footsteps of others, but is staking out her own niche in the history of singing."