Singer

In 1807, a 37-year-old scholar living in West Africa was captured and forced aboard a slave ship bound for Charleston, South Carolina. Omar Ibn Said's life and Muslim faith are remembered and retold in this inspirational West Coast premiere inspired by his remarkable 1831 autobiography (the only known surviving American slave narrative written in Arabic).
Set in the shifting darkness of memory and imagination, Omar follows his compelling journey from a peaceful life in his homeland to enslavement in a violent, foreign world. Lost in the wilderness of his thoughts and his stolen life, he's haunted by memories of his family and the people he encounters along the way. Through it all, he somehow remains true to himself and his faith, against all odds. The luminous score—composed by Rhiannon Giddens and Michael Abels—incorporates distinctive West African traditions with traditional opera instrumentation.
Tenor Jamez McCorkle makes his company debut in the title role, with bass-baritone Daniel Okulitch in a double role as two very different slave masters. Norman Garrett makes his company debut as Omar's brother, with Barry Banks as the auctioneer and Jacqueline Echols as Julie, an enslaved woman who gives Omar the key to a better life.

EPSG:4326

Omar

Los Angeles Music Center

Family, food, music, and fun. Join us on the lawn at San Bernardino Valley College as we celebrate Independence Day with the music of America culminating with Tchaikovsky's bombastic and exhilarating 1812 Overture.

America, the Beautiful

San Bernardino Valley College Auditorium

Back by popular demand and increasing societal relevance, THE CENTRAL PARK FIVE will return to Long Beach Opera in a brand new production directed by Juilliard-trained actor / director and star of Apple TV’s “The Morning Show” Desean Terry and conucted by Anthony Parnther. The harrowing account of five teenagers wrongfully convicted, incarcerated and eventually exonerated remains a devastatingly relevant indictment on racial injustices in America. LBO’s 2019 world premiere of the opera brought composer and “national treasure” (Opera News) Anthony Davis additional recognition when the score was selected for the 2020 Pulitzer Prize in Music. “Davis’ supercharged score grippingly conveys the claustrophobia of a racist legal system and society from which there was, for these five innocent boys and their families, no exit.” (Los Angeles Times).

After the critical acclaim of the world premiere and the collective awakening of the Black Lives Matter movement, LBO brings back this important, lauded work in a brand new production, featuring many of the original cast members along with some new additions. Terry’s new production of THE CENTRAL PARK FIVE will reinvigorate the story of five innocent Black teenagers trapped in a Kafkaesque nightmare of the American criminal justice system.

The Central Park Five

Jordan High School

Written within a few years of each other, three musical titans composed bold works that captured a spirit of national pride and musical awakening. Acclaimed piano virtuoso and Malibu resident, Andrew von Oeyen, exemplifies both the composer’s penchant for Russian bravado, and an awareness of international musical trends of the early 20th century. The “Dean” of Finnish composers, Jean Sibelius used classical proportions and inspiration to create a beautiful folk influenced symphony championed by Music Director Michael Christie during his performances at the First International Sibelius Conductors Competition in 1995. American composer, Scott Joplin was key to the “Ragtime” movement that would sweep the nation even in the face of blatant racist barriers. His opera Treemonisha wasn’t heard in his lifetime, but is a striking work that immediately calls to mind the musical genres that made Joplin famous.

Ashley Faatoalia

Tenor

Events

Oct 22 - Nov 13, 2022

Omar · LA Opera

Jul 2, 2022

America, the Beautiful · San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra

18 - 25 Jun, 2022

The Central Park Five · Long Beach Opera

2 - 3 Apr, 2022

Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 3 · New West Symphony

About

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