[Faculty
Member Dara Rahming is “one of four professional soloists” in
scenes from the opera Freedom Ride]
AfriClassical has received a Press Release from Laila Morcos of Peter Mayer Public Relations, on behalf of Xavier University:
Freedom
Riders Arrive
at Xavier University
50 Years Later
at Xavier University
50 Years Later
University
hosts conversation
with civil rights activists &
with civil rights activists &
scenes
from the opera,
‘Freedom Ride’
‘Freedom Ride’
NEW
ORLEANS (March 5, 2012) – On May 4, 1961, the first Freedom Ride
left Washington, D.C., and was scheduled to arrive in New Orleans on
May 17th. The Freedom Ride consisted of activists who called
themselves “Freedom Riders” and rode interstate buses through the
Southern United States to demonstrate against racial segregation.
Xavier University (XU) of Louisiana is honoring their legacy and
proudly presents “Freedom Riders Remembered” and scenes from the
opera, “Freedom Ride” on Tuesday, March 13th, 2012 at 7 pm in the
Auditorium of The Administration building. It is free and open to the
public.
The Freedom Riders’ peaceful mission did not come
without strife. Freedom Riders provoked violent reactions in cities
where the busses stopped. However, that helped fuel the passion of
the Civil Rights Movement. Freedom Riders were arrested and attacked
by mobs but never fought back or intervened.
“Freedom
Riders Remembered” is a conversation with some of the original
Freedom Riders including, Jerome Smith, Sandra Nixon Thomas, Alice
Thompson, Claude Reese, Matt Saurez, and Doratha “Dodie”
Smith-Simmons. They will discuss their difficult, yet victorious
experiences before performance excerpts from Xavier music professor,
Dan Shore’s opera, “Freedom Ride,” which honors those civil
rights activists.
The project began about a year ago when
Executive Director of Longue Vue House and Gardens Joe Baker
commissioned Shore to create something new that was socially
significant and relevant to the New Orleans community.
“I
was attracted to the story of the Freedom Rides because of, among
other reasons, the strong local connection,” said Shore. “Not
only was New Orleans the original planned destination of the rides,
but many of the non-violence training workshops the riders underwent
were held in New Orleans. And when I found out some of the riders
were housed at Xavier University after the Alabama bombings, I knew
that the Freedom Rides absolutely had to be the subject of the
opera.”
While the opera is steeped in factual details of a
historic event, the opera is completely original. It tells the story
of a young girl, Sylvie Davenport, a fictional African-American
resident of Pontchartrain Park preparing to attend college on
scholarship. Torn between pursuing her academic career and joining
the Civil Rights Movement, Sylvie’s story of self-realization and
love highlights the courage and sacrifice of those who pursue social
justice.
“Although much of the achievement of the Civil
Rights Movement were accomplished due to the strength, vision and
leadership of a core group of dedicated activists, my primary
interest in the opera is in the hundreds of volunteers who came from
all places and walks of life who made tremendous personal sacrifice,”
said Shore.
The XU University Concert Choir, directed by John
Ware, will be performing scenes from the opera, which features four
professional soloists; faculty member Dara Rahming, Valerie Jones
Francis, Chauncey Packer and Anthoney Zoeller as well as faculty
member Dr. Wilfred Delphin on piano.
