Toledo Opera & Maumee Valley Country Day School Present ‘Activating the Arts for Racial Justice’ with ‘Blue: Stories from Toledo’

On May 23 at 7 p.m., Toledo Opera and Maumee Valley Country Day School will host” Activating the Arts for Racial Justice: A Documentary Film Screening and Panel Discussion featuring “Blue: Stories From Toledo.” This will be the third screening presented by Toledo Opera of the documentary. Eboné Waweru, Toledo Opera soprano and parent at the co-hosting school, will deliver {…}

Jan 11, 2022

Jeanine Tesori & Tazewell Thompson’s ‘Blue’ Leads Seattle Opera’s Season Lineup

(Credit: Karli Cadel) Seattle Opera is set to continue its 2021-22 season with a number of performances and events. Leading the season’s lineup is Jeanine Tesori and Tazewell Thompson’s “Blue,” named the 2020 winner of Best New Opera by the Music Critics Association of North America. The story follows a family and their community coming together in the wake of {…}

Aug 13, 2020

Roundtable: The Cast of ‘Blue’ on Race, Police Brutality & Getting Close with their Characters

In partnership with New York’s flagship classical radio station, WQXR, Lincoln Center’s Mostly Mozart Festival kicked off on Monday, August 10. The annual summer festival has been a fixture of the New York art scene since 1966, and the organization forged a path to keep the tradition in a safe way as COVID-19 continues battering the United States. This Friday, August {…}

Aug 10, 2020

Tazewell Thompson Named Director of Opera Studies at Manhattan School of Music

(Credit: Fabian Obispo) The Manhattan School of Music has announced that opera and theatre director Tazewell Thompson has been named as their Director of Opera Studies, effective immediately. He will be responsible for developing the artistic vision of the program, teaching and directing the students in the Senior Opera Theatre program, and shaping performance opportunities for graduate students. As a {…}

Jun 17, 2020

MCANA Picks Tesori and Thompson’s ‘Blue’ as Winner of Best New Opera Award

On June 17th, the Music Critics Association of North America (MCANA) announced “Blue” as the winner of its Fourth Annual Award for Best New Opera. “Blue,” composed by Jeanine Tesori with libretto by Tazewell Thompson, premiered at the Glimmerglass Festival in July 2019 and tells the story of an African American couple residing in Harlem, New York City. The couple’s {…}