New York’s renowned performing arts venue, Lincoln Center, in collaboration with the Metropolitan Opera, presents acclaimed opera vocalist Will Liverman, performing selections from his Grammy-nominated album, “Dreams of a New Day—Songs by Black Composers.” On the album, Liverman is accompanied by pianist Paul Sánchez in performing compositions by Florence Price, Margaret Bonds, Harry Thacker Burleigh, Leslie Adams, Robert Owens and more.
Liverman, star of last fall’s production of “Fire Shut Up In My Bones” at the Metropolitan Opera, will showcase a number of compositions from “Dreams of a New Day,” including Burleigh’s “5 Songs of Laurence Hope,” Damien Sneed’s “I Dream A World,” Richard Farana’s “Birmingham Sunday” and “Good-night,” an original piece co-written by Liverman with violinist Lady Jess.
We are living in times where the disparities of Black presence in the classical and operatic realms have made some strides in addressing the predominance of white and European prima donnas (with homage to Leontyne Price, Mattiwilda Dobbs and other trailblazers) and principal male voices such as Liverman’s predecessors, Thomas Carey and Anthony Anderson.
Liverman, now a modern role model to aspiring millennial and Gen Z opera singers, is a singular light whose voice will be cited as a rare principal Black operatic voice of the 21st century. He has achieved a noted career that denotes promise for greater success in the future.
The gatekeepers of our culture—those who can expand education, support, opportunities and stages to gifted minority voices—should be encouraged for the quality and ardor of such work.
Event details:
Lincoln Center Presents the Metropolitan Opera and “The Other Side of the Stars: Will Liverman”
Paul Sánchez, piano
Starr Theater, Alice Tully Hall
Wednesday, February 15, 2023, 7:30 p.m.
For more info. visit www.lincolncenter.org.
