A new multimillion-dollar commissioning initiative by Cincinnati Opera aims to empower Black American creators to develop new works celebrating their culture and stories.
Described as a first-of-its-kind endeavor, The Black Opera Project is a byproduct of a grant from the Mellon Foundation. The funds support the development of three fully staged, full-length operas by creators of color that focus on uplifting stories about Black culture or communities.
Cincinnati Opera’s financial commitment toward the project will be about $5 million.
As part of project’s kickoff, the company will present the world premiere of “Lalovavi” in June 2025.
“The launch of The Black Opera Project marks the fruition of dreams long held by Black artists like me,” said singer Morris Robinson, Cincinnati Opera artistic advisor.
Bringing diverse stories to the page, stage
Robinson said this new program is years in the making. One of the few operas that features an all-Black cast is George Gershwin’s “Porgy and Bess,” a stage adaptation of a novel that follows the pits and perils of two Black people struggling through poverty in 1920s Charleston, S.C.
The writers of both the novel and opera were white.
While he was singing the title role in “Porgy and Bess” in 2019, Cincinnati Opera leaders invited Robinson – a world-renowned bass-baritone – and his castmates into a conversation about the future of the art form.
“My colleagues and I expressed concern that there were no operas that truly represented African American culture in a positive, modern, realistic and contemporaneously relatable way,” Robinson said. He noted asking when there was going to be a staged opera that had the same social impact as the movie “Black Panther.”
“We knew there was a critical need to create and develop works that represented the vastness and beauty of the African American experience,” Robinson continued. “We also felt that these new works needed to be composed, written, directed and conducted by Black people.”
Artistic Director Evans Mirageas called the project an important next step in the company’s “commitment to diversity and inclusion.”
“We’re thankful for the visionary artists and supporters who challenged us to think differently about the types of narratives we present onstage,” he said.
Works for and from new voices
“Lalovavi,” the project’s first work, is the brainchild of award-winning composer Kevin Day and writer/performance poet Tifara Brown, the librettist. They’re both first-time opera creators. They worked alongside stage director and dramaturg Kimille Howard.
The Cincinnati Opera believes “Lalovavi” will be the first grand opera on an “Afrofuturist theme” – a large-scale work in three acts for soloists, chorus and orchestra.
Set in the year 2119, the opera follows the journey of Persephone, the youngest teenage daughter of the Primus of Atlas, formerly the city of Atlanta. Currency and status in Atlas are determined based on the presence of Syndicus, a rare gene that promotes vitality and longevity. When Persephone is found to possess this gene, she is betrayed by her family and must run for her life. She is thrust into an epic adventure, uncovering a hidden past that leads her to discover love’s true meaning and the power to determine her own destiny.
Written primarily in English, “Lalovavi” will be the first opera to incorporate songs and poetry written in Tut, a language developed by Black Americans and passed down from their enslaved ancestors. They created Tut as a way to covertly learn how to read and write when it was illegal for them to do so.
The title of the opera, “Lalovavi,” is the Tut word for “love.”
“My wish for ‘Lalovavi’ is that it offers a fresh perspective on what Black opera represents and that it inspires both the young and old to dream, envisioning their own stories and what’s possible in the future of Black art,” Day said.
The debut performance will take place Thursday, June 19, 2025, to coincide with the Juneteenth holiday. The show is part of that season’s Cincinnati Opera Summer Festival.
“Often the way Black people are depicted in stories can leave us feeling depressed and pessimistic about the future,” Brown said. “We have worked together to show our community the way we see them: triumphant, powerful people who do have hope for what’s to come.”
Looking to the future
“Lalovavi” will have an initial two-show run at Cincinnati Music Hall. The second performance is June 21, 2025. It’ll feature scenic design by Lawrence E. Moten III, costume design by Kara Harmon and lighting design by Thomas C. Hase. Kevin Miller will conduct the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.
Lead funding for the performances came from the David C. Herriman Fund of Greater Cincinnati Foundation.
The second work in The Black Opera Project will receive its world premiere during Cincinnati Opera’s 2026 Summer Festival. The not-yet-named work centers on the life of late U.S. Rep. John Lewis of Georgia.
Maria Thompson Corley is composing the music. The piece will have a libretto by Diana Solomon Glover and Timothy Douglas is in charge of stage direction.
The Cincinnati Opera will announce full details about the show, along with the third work in The Black Opera Project, at a later date.
“I’m excited about what this initiative means both for people of color and for opera fans everywhere who’ll get a chance to see what Black joy looks like on the opera stage,” Robinson said. “We’re making history and changing our art form for the better.”
Discover more from Movers & Makers
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.