“In these divided times, we hope to create something that brings people together with mutual respect, understanding, and communication across races and generations.”—Lawrence Brownlee
Don't miss the World Premiere of Cycles of My Being, a song cycle exploring the realities of life as a black man in America.
This one-night-only event is the work of a dynamic trio linked through classical music and jazz: composer Tyshawn Sorey, a “prodigious multi-instrumentalist and composer” who “transcends the borders of jazz, classical, and experimental music” (The New Yorker); lyricist Terrance Hayes, “a vital voice that explores race and art and the roving power of language” (NPR); and Opera Philadelphia Artistic Advisor Lawrence Brownlee, one of “the world's leading bel canto tenors” (The Associated Press).
Renowned African-American instrumentalists from the New York Philharmonic and The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts will join Brownlee for the song cycle and perform as soloists.
The recital is followed by a post-performance Q&A with Lawrence Brownlee.
Tickets: $25
Commissioned by Opera Philadelphia, Carnegie Hall, and Lyric Unlimited: A Division of Lyric Opera of Chicago
Support for Lawrence Brownlee provided by Ann Ziff and Beth and Gary Glynn.
Photography by Shervin Lainez