opera

Portland Opera: Journeys to Justice

April 16, 2021 @ 7:30 pm

Virtual Concert

$50 Suggested admission, pay what you will.

These compositions are about love, justice, and experiences of being a Black American. The evening begins with Songs for the African Violet, about the resilience that is demanded of Black women finding joy. We go to Two Black Churches, where we grieve with communities generations apart—both facing the aftermath of murder and hate crimes perpetrated by white supremacists.

In “Your Daddy’s Son” we witness a desperate mother’s grief and song to her child, and in Night Trip we stop at a gas station with a Black family on a road trip in Jim Crow America. With The Talk we share a coming-of-age conversation that is a matter of life and death, then we celebrate the choice to love—expressed through the words of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Songs of Love and Justice.

Songs for the African Violet 
words and music by Jasmine Barnes

Two Black Churches 
Composed by Shawn Okpebholo
“Ballad of Birmingham” text by Dudley Randall
“The Rain” text by Marcus Amaker

“Your Daddy’s Son”
from Ragtime 
music by Stephen Flaherty
lyrics by Lynn Ahrens
book by Terrence McNally

Night Trip
composed by Carlos Simon
libretto by Sandra Seaton

The Talk: Instructions for Black Children When They Interact With the Police
words and music by Damien Geter

Songs of Love and Justice
by Dr. Adolphus Hailstork
text by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

ABOUT OUR PRODUCTION

Sung in English with English captions. 
Approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes, no intermission.

Featuring Portland Opera’s Resident Artists—Lynnesha Crump, Jasmine Johnson, David Morgans Sanchez, Michael Parham, and Edwin Jhamal Davis; with limited instrumentation featuring members of the Portland Opera Orchestra, and members of the Portland Opera Chorus.

Digital access will be available for 45 days, starting on April 16, 2021 on our digital channel, Portland Opera Onscreen. 

PLAN YOUR WATCH PARTY | CONCIERGE SERVICES

Looking for delivery dining options, a wine pairing suggestion, or a way to plan your watch party? Even though we’re working remotely, our team is happy to offer complimentary concierge services. Create your opera experience with the assistance of our Portland Opera Concierge: email Concierge@portlandopera.org or call 503-241-1407, M-W, 10 AM – 5 PM.

Join company members and guests from the production for a post-show Q&A on Zoom following the performance on April 16.

Digital access available for $50 or pay what you will.
Access will be available for purchase in February 2021.

Dates, programming, artists, and details are subject to change. 

Portland Opera

https://portlandopera.org/production/20-21-resident-artist-series/

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The One Voice Project Micro Opera Festival

March 22, 2021 @ 5:00 pm – March 26, 2021 @ 8:00 pm PDT

Virtual Concert

Free Pay as you can.

Composer Lisa Neher and Libretist Kendra Leonard present the One Voice Project Virtual Micro Opera Fesval, a weeklong fesval of micro opera world premieres. Every day from March 22-26, a new 5-minute unaccompanied opera wrien by Neher & Leonard will be released on YouTube.

The operas feature acclaimed opera singers from across the United States, including tenor Hugo Vera (Metropolitan Opera), mezzo Margaret O’Connell (Center for Contemporary Opera), soprano Audrey Yoder (Pacific Opera Project), tenor Zach Finkelstein (New York City Opera), and mezzo Lisa Neher herself (Opera Theatre Oregon).

The festival channels the artistic brilliance of opera singers who have frequently found themselves without work and artistic outlets during the pandemic. Each opera is a self-contained story, with plots that address women in sport, the life of musicians during the pandemic, and resilience in the face of obstacles. Several were composed in collaboration with the singers, with plots drawn from their experiences over the last year. The operas promote unaccompanied repertoire for singers as a genre equal to that of unaccompanied instrumental repertoire, a cause Neher regularly champions through her One Voice Project call for scores & concert series. Tickets are Pay as You Can in order to make opera accessible to all.

Following the final release on Friday March 26, audiences are invited to a Talkback and Q&A Recepon with the artists, hosted by Gina Morgano of the Practice Parlour Podcast.

WHAT: The One Voice Project Micro Opera Fesval
WHEN: Mon March 22 – Fri March 26, 2021 |5:00 PM PDT: Operas Released Daily Fri March 26, 2021 | 5:10 pm PDT: Zoom Talkback and Q&A Reception
WHERE: Operas Released as YouTube Premieres: https://www.youtube.com/LisaNeher 
COST: Pay as You Can. We invite you to make a donation to @Lisa-Neher on Venmo or lisanehermusic@gmail.com on PayPal in support of the artists. Consider donating your one-hour salary. All proceeds will be split evenly between the artists.
TICKETS: https://forms.gle/Ks8HZN193bQ72URUA
Register to receive a link to each day’s micro opera premiere and to RSVP for the Talkback and Q&A Reception with the Artists.

Lisa Neher Music

http://www.lisanehermusic.com/

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Portland Opera Resident Artists Recital III

FREE

February 25, 2021 @ 7:00 pm

Portland Opera is thrilled to continue the resident artist program this year, including recitals featuring the 20/21 Portland Opera Resident Artists. Traditionally held at Portland Art Museum, the series this year will be broadcast live from the Hampton Opera Center. Each performance will feature two or more Portland Opera Resident Artists, sharing solo pieces, duets, and ensembles, along with new Resident Artist Coach and collaborative pianist Joseph Williams.

Bass Edwin Jhamal Davis
Ensemble including all Portland Opera Resident Artists
Pianist Joseph Williams

View this virtual concert on Portland Opera’s Vimeo or YouTube pages.

Edwin Jhamal Davis, bass, made his professional debut with Mississippi Opera Company in the role of Simone in Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi. Additional recent credits include performances with Pompano Beach Orchestra, Bronx Concert Singers, and Boston Paramount Theater. A native of Utica, Mississippi, Davis is an alumnus of Jackson State University where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree and he holds a master’s degree from the Manhattan School of Music

Portland Opera

https://portlandopera.org/production/20-21-resident-artist-series/

Virtual Concert

Portland Opera Vimeo Page
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Portland Opera Resident Artist Series II

FREE

February 11, 2021 @ 7:00 pm

Portland Opera is thrilled to continue the resident artist program this year, including recitals featuring the 20/21 Portland Opera Resident Artists. Traditionally held at Portland Art Museum, the series this year will be broadcast live from the Hampton Opera Center. Each performance will feature two or more Portland Opera Resident Artists, sharing solo pieces, duets, and ensembles, along with new Resident Artist Coach and collaborative pianist Joseph Williams.

Mezzo-soprano Jasmine JohnsonBaritone Michael Parham
Pianist Joseph Williams

Jasmine Johnson photo

Jasmine Johnson, mezzo-soprano, made her professional debut with Opera Parallèle in the world premiere of their original opera, Amazing Grace, in 2015. Committed to new music, Johnson has also collaborated with Festival Opera on developing Wang Jie’s opera, Rated R for Rat (an eco-opera). Johnson received her Bachelor of Music, Master of Music, and postgraduate diploma from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.

Prior to joining the Resident Artist program, baritone Michael Parham has performed with City Lyric Opera, Opera Las Vegas, Voccalis Repertory Company, and the South Florida Symphony. Parham was a 2019-20 New York district winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, a 2019 Semi-Finalist in the Premiere Opera Foundation Competition, and a 2017 Finalist in the Meistersinger Competition in Graz, Austria. He is also a member of the American Spiritual Ensemble. Originally from Chattanooga, Tennessee, Parham holds a master’s degree from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and completed his undergraduate work at Oakwood University.

View this virtual concert on Portland Opera’s Vimeo or YouTube pages.

Portland Opera

https://portlandopera.org/production/20-21-resident-artist-series/

Virtual Concert

Portland Opera Vimeo Page
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