Opera’s history is inextricably linked with politics and power. Musician and scholar Douglas Sumi takes audiences on a whirlwind tour of repertoire across the centuries to examine how composers, librettists, and performers give voice to controversial political figures, grapple with state censorship, and engage with the spirit of popular protests within the confines of elite cultural spaces. The evening will include live vocal performances from both classical and contemporary operas as well as audience Q&A.
Opera Night at the Boston Public Library is a legacy community partnership between Boston Lyric Opera and the Boston Public Library offering equitable access to quality opera learning experiences for over 25 years.
Performers:
Junhan Choi, baritone
Arielle Rogers-Wilkey, mezzo-soprano
Douglas Sumi, pianist
Meet the Scholar:
Douglas Sumi is a pianist and faculty member in the Voice Department at the School of Music of Boston University. He has assisted conductors such as James Conlon, Plácido Domingo, and Patrick Summers and has worked with many great performers like Renée Fleming, Plácido Domingo, Itzhak Perlman, Carol Vaness, and many of today’s emerging young artists. He has led singers to top prizes of premiere competitions including Operalia, the Metropolitan National Council Auditions, BBC Cardiff Singer of the World, and the Richard Tucker Foundation. He has served on the music staff at LA Opera and on faculty at the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music.