NPR CLASSICAL
Tenor Lawrence Brownlee plays the title role in the new opera Charlie Parker's Yardbird
Dominic M. Mercier/Opera Philadelphia
John Malveaux of
writes:
Lawrence Brownlee featured in 'Charlie Parker's Yardbird' mingling opera and jazz play the Apollo Theater on April 1 and 3, 2016
Thanks
John Malveaux
Opera And Jazz Mingle In 'Charlie Parker's Yardbird'
March 31, 20164:27 PM ET
You often don't think of opera at the famed Apollo Theater in Harlem. Tonight that changes: Charlie Parker's Yardbird
gets its New York premiere there. It's an opera about the jazz
saxophonist on the very stage where Parker played in his lifetime.
The
opera's Swiss-born composer Daniel Schnyder is a jazz saxophone player
himself, who is also classically trained. He wants to combine his two
favorite kinds of music.
"These two things are far apart from
each other," Schnyder says, "and a lot of people think that doesn't work
together, but that's not true. It's actually a big chance to create
something new."
Schnyder was commissioned by Opera Philadelphia to compose a work for tenor Lawrence Brownlee, a rising star in the opera world who's made his reputation singing in the 19th-century bel canto style.
"Bel
canto is a kind of virtuoso art form," Schnyder says, "where you have
to sing very fast and very high, and you have to have a very flexible
voice. And then we had a meeting, and I met Larry and that just came to
my mind — that he would be the perfect Charlie Parker."
Brownlee
leapt at the chance to portray the influential jazz musician, one of
the founders of bebop, who died at the age of 34 after a lifelong battle
with substance abuse. Brownlee says he had to learn how to use his
voice like a jazz instrument.
***
The New York Premiere of Charlie Parker's Yardbird is a Co-Production of The Apollo Theater and Opera Philadelphia, Friday, April 1 at 8 PM and Sunday, April 3 at 3 PM.
Music by DANIEL SCHNYDER
Text by BRIDGETTE A. WIMBERLY
Starring LAWRENCE BROWNLEE as CHARLIE PARKER
Conducted by CORRADO ROVARIS
Directed by RON DANIELS
No comments:
Post a Comment