Angela Brown Teams Up With Opera Companies To Spotlight Rising Black Voices in OPERA...FROM A SISTAH'S POINT OF VIEW

Throughout her career, opera soprano Angela Brown has been on a mission to dispel outdated myths about opera, including what to wear, how to act, and who belongs in the audience and on the stage. Her one-woman show Opera...from a Sistah's Point of View has been presented across the country to do just that.

When the recent social unrest erupted, she, and many others, realized their voices might finally be heard to make a difference for Black representation in opera. She hoped her show would be presented in a new format and the one she had always envisioned. Instead of her original solo version, she wanted to showcase the brilliant talent of emerging Black opera stars alongside her signature retelling of opera plots and scenes from a "sistah's point of view." Her manager, Janet Jarriel, reached out to colleagues to offer the new format and received immediate favorable response.

Cincinnati Opera and Opera Birmingham joined forces to produce a recorded version of the show featuring soprano Victoria Okafor, mezzo soprano Briana Hunter, tenor Jamez McCorkle, baritone Reginald Smith, Jr., and pianist Marie-France Lefebvre. The show is available January 29 to February 7 via Opera Birmingham and continues into March via Cincinnati Opera. Reservations and viewing details are available through each company's website: operabirmingham.org and cincinnatiopera.org

Florida Grand Opera opted for live performances slated for Sunday, February 28. With strict COVID protocols in place, there will be 3:00 and 7:30 p.m. shows at the historic Hampton House in Miami. Florida Grand Opera young artists soprano Amanda Sheriff, countertenor Key'mon Murrah, baritone Angel Refusé, and pianist Jared Paroune will join Angela for the programs. Tickets and more information are available at fgo.org.

All of these initiatives are a part of Morning Brown, Inc., the nonprofit Angela founded in 2015 to concentrate her efforts of "bringing culture to cultural deserts." There are more programs in the works including a simulcast later in March with the partnership of Indianapolis Opera. Stay tuned!

Photo credit: Polina Osherov

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