John Malveaux: NPR.org: Tenor Lawrence Brownlee plays the title role in the new opera "Charlie Parker's Yardbird'' April 1 & 3, 2016, Apollo Theater in Harlem

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             Tenor Lawrence Brownlee plays the title role in the new opera Charlie Parker's Yardbird

Dominic M. Mercier/Opera Philadelphia

http://www.lawrencebrownlee.com              

John Malveaux of 

www.MusicUNTOLD.com 

writes:

Lawrence Brownlee featured in 'Charlie Parker's Yardbird' mingling opera and jazz play the Apollo Theater on April 1 and 3, 2016

http://www.npr.org/sections/deceptivecadence/2016/03/31/472431884/opera-and-jazz-mingle-in-charlie-parkers-yardbird

Thanks

John Malveaux

Opera And Jazz Mingle In 'Charlie Parker's Yardbird'

March 31, 20164:27 PM ET

Heard on All Things Considered

Jeff Lunden

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.

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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