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Interviews

Q & A: Dawn Carroll on Mary Cardwell Dawson, Mystery Manor, & ‘If the Walls Could Talk’ 

https://operawire.com/q-a-dawn-carroll-on-mary-cardwell-dawson-mystery-manor-if-the-walls-could-talk/

Dawn Carroll is dedicated to helping revitalize the legacy of opera pioneer Mary Cardwell Dawson and helping preserve the historic National Negro Opera House (Mystery Manor) in Pittsburgh. Her mission ties into broader themes of historic preservation, mentorship, and education, inspiring future generations through music and educational initiatives – continuing Dawson’s legacy. Carroll, a stone designer and co-founder of the {…}

Black History Month, News

Mary Cardwell Dawson Honored with Special Mural Presentation

https://operawire.com/mary-cardwell-dawson-honored-with-special-mural-presentation/

On Feb. 27, 2025, National Negro Opera Company founder Mary Cardwell Dawson was honored with a special mural unveiling ceremony. The mural was created by artist Scott Nurkin to honor Cardwell and all her contributions to American music. The ceremony took place at Murphy Street in Madison, North Carolina, and featured performances by Alyson Cambridge and Kenneth Overton, as well {…}

News

Mary Cardwell Dawson to be Inducted Into The North Carolina Music Hall Of Fame

https://operawire.com/mary-cardwell-dawson-to-be-inducted-into-the-north-carolina-music-hall-of-fame/

(Photo credit: Library of Congress) The North Carolina Music Hall Of Fame has announced its 2024 inductees. Among the recipients is North Carolina native Mary Cardwell Dawson. Dawson founded the National Negro Opera Company in 1941, which while it was short lived due to Dawson’s death in 1962, the company produced over 110 opera and broke barriers for singers of {…}

News

Pittsburgh Opera to Present ‘The Passion of Mary Cardwell Dawson,’ Announces Community Events

https://operawire.com/pittsburgh-opera-to-present-the-passion-of-mary-cardwell-dawson-announces-community-events/

Pittsburgh Opera will present “The Passion of Mary Cardwell Dawson” this April. The showcase, which features original music by Carlos Simon as well as additional music from Bizet, opens on April 27 and runs through May 5, 2024. The work is inspired by the true story of the founder of the National Negro Opera Company in Pittsburgh in 1941. It {…}

News

Denyce Graves to Headline Washington National Opera’s ‘The Passion of Mary Cardwell Dawson’

https://operawire.com/denyce-graves-to-headline-washington-national-operas-the-passion-of-mary-cardwell-dawson/

Denyce Graves is set to headline Washington National Opera’s “The Passion of Mary Cardwell Dawson” this January. The work, which will be presented at the Terrace Theater on Jan. 20 – 22, 2023 (three performances with two on the 22nd), will feature Graves in the role of Dawson, the founder of the National Negro Opera Company. Carlos Simon and Sandra {…}

News

NEC Unveils Portrait of Pioneering Black Artist Mary Caldwell Dawson

https://operawire.com/nec-unveils-portrait-of-pioneering-black-artist-mary-caldwell-dawson/

Photo: Andrew Hurlbut New England Conservatory (NEC) unveiled a new portrait of Mary Cardwell Dawson by Iris Lee Marcus, which will be on permanent display at the conservatory’s Blumenthal Family Library. The painting recognizes her trailblazing career as a singer and her founding of the National Negro Opera Company (NNOC) in Pittsburgh in 1941. Dawson’s opera company provided Black artists {…}

Business, News

National Opera House Awarded Major Grant to Preserve Historic Site

https://operawire.com/national-opera-house-awarded-major-grant-to-preserve-historic-site/

The National Opera House has announced that the Mellon Foundation has awarded a $1.75 million grant to continue support for the restoration and preservation of the historic house on 7101 Apple Street in Pittsburgh. The property served as the former headquarters of the National Negro Opera Company and is considered the birthplace of classical jazz. The award marks a major {…}

News

Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra to Honor Denyce Graves at the Spring Legacy Awards

https://operawire.com/mid-atlantic-symphony-orchestra-to-honor-denyce-graves-at-the-spring-legacy-awards/

The Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra is set to honor mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves as its National Legacy Award recipient at the Spring Legacy Awards on June 4 at the Talbot Country Club in Easton, Maryland. The National Legacy Award, introduced last season, recognizes individuals who have made a profound and lasting impact on the arts at a national level. The inaugural honoree {…}

News

Kendrick Williams Among Performers at North Carolina Music Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

https://operawire.com/kendrick-williams-among-perfomers-at-north-carolina-music-hall-of-fame-induction-ceremony/

The North Carolina Music Hall Of Fame has announced the performances for its 2024 induction ceremony. Honoring North Carolina native Mary Cardwell Dawson, will be Kendrick Williams who has performed with such organizations as the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, Opera Carolina, North Carolina Opera, and the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra. He is also the author of the children’s book “Noah’s Big Opera Dream. {…}