Joshua Stewart alternates in the title role of Charlie Parker along with tenor Frederick Ballentine. |
Black artistry and storytelling surround Seattle Opera’s next production: Charlie Parker's Yardbird, which plays Feb. 22–March 7, 2020 at McCaw Hall. Tickets start at $35
In the centennial year of legendary alto-saxophonist Charlie Parker, one company is using opera to tell a story about jazz. Seattle Opera presents Charlie Parker’s Yardbird, a work created by saxophonist and composer Daniel Schnyder and Bridgette Wimberly, an award-winning poet and playwright.
“While I wanted the opera to be about Parker’s real life, I did not want it to be a typical biography,” Wimberly said. “I searched for those private stories that helped us understand him as son, husband, musician, and man. His mother Addie sings about the fear of her son being lynched, as well as her pride and love for the musician he has become. When he dies, she sings of the pain in her heart. Through her story, we understand Parker’s.”
Charlie Parker in Los Angeles in the 1940s. Ray Whitten/Michael Ochs Archives, via Getty Images. |
Joshua Stewart, left, and Frederick Ballentine, right, alternate as Charlie Parker. |
"From a technical standpoint, classical music and jazz share a deeper kinship than many realize—particularly jazz and early music,” Scheppelmann said. “Both genres are propelled by the excitement of live improvisation.”
In the month leading up to Yardbird (Black History Month), Seattle Opera will offer three different community events that aim to contextualize the production and highlight Black artistry. To start, renowned soprano Angela Brown (Addie Parker) will perform a recital on Feb. 4. Presented with pianist John Keene, the evening will feature musical settings of poetry and prose by American literary legends Toni Morrison, Maya Angelou, and Mari Evans; tickets are $25. On Feb. 11, people can learn more about the making of Yardbird through a free opera talk led by Dramaturg Jonathan Dean and featuring the opera’s librettist and composer. Finally, a free panel discussion on Black representation in the arts will focus on opera, theater, and ballet. Speakers will include Yardbird librettist Wimberly, as well as Theresa Ruth Howard, scholar, educator, and former ballerina with Dance Theater of Harlem, and moderated by Naomi André, Seattle Opera Scholar in Residence.
Charlie Parker's Yardbird plays Feb. 22–March 7, 2020 at McCaw Hall.
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