We Need to Listen
Racism exists in all industries, including classical music and opera. If we are to fight it everywhere, we have to start fighting it somewhere.
In Boston Lyric Opera’s new three-part series, We Need to Listen: Conversations that Matter with Celeste Headlee, the award-winning journalist, author, public media anchor and classically trained singer leads lively and insightful discussions with opera and music industry leaders, as well as rising and established stars. Whether you’re part of the live Zoom audience or stream it on-demand at operabox.tv, join us to hear how we can make the art form we love more equitable, diverse, and accountable.
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Singers of color across the country spend their lives training, rehearsing and investing in their talent. Why can’t they access the industry leaders, the auditions and the opportunities of their white counterparts?
In this premiere episode, Celeste Headlee focuses attention on the structural barriers keeping more Black and brown singers from appearing on stages across the country.
Tues, October 27, 2020
7:30 – 8:45 PM EDT
Scott Joplin and Wynton Marsalis may be the best-known names among Black composers, but even a surface scratch of research turns up an extraordinary list of talent reaching as far back as 1745 (Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-George) up through this decade (George Walker, who died in 2018). Why are orchestral works, concertos and operas by Black composers not more prominent on American orchestras’ rosters? Celeste Headlee, whose grandfather was “the dean of African American composers” William Grant Still, talks with guests about the hidden repertoire of the great composers of color, and steps being taken by BLO and others to bring diverse composers’ voices to the forefront.
Tues, November 10, 2020
7:30 – 8:45 PM EDT
Celeste Headlee
Award-winning journalist, professional speaker and author of We Need To Talk: How To Have Conversations That Matter, Celeste Headlee, released her latest book, Do Nothing: How to Break Away from Overworking, Overdoing, and Underliving, in March 2020. Celeste is a globally-recognized journalist and expert in conversation and communication, and a regular guest host on NPR and American Public Media. She is also a highly sought consultant, advising companies around the world on conversations about race, diversity and inclusion. Her TEDx Talk, sharing 10 ways to have a better conversation has more than 23 million total views to date. She serves as an advisory board member for ProCon.org and the Listen First Project. She received the 2019 Media Changemaker Award.
Philippa P.B. Hughes is a Social Sculptor and Creative Strategist who produces art-fueled projects to spark humanizing and authentic conversations between people who might not normally meet. She has designed and produced hundreds of creative activations since 2007 for curious folks to engage with art and with one another in unconventional and meaningful ways. She leads 
When Terrance McKnight moved to New York City, his 96-year-old grandmother offered him a few words of wisdom: “If you’ve got something to say, get out there in the middle of the road and say it; don’t go hiding behind no bush.” From a long line of passionate citizens — his maternal family founded a branch of the NAACP in Mississippi and his father the pastor of a church in Cleveland — Terrance and his siblings were expected to contribute to their community while growing up. Early on, Terrance decided he would take the musician’s journey.
Alexa Smith is the Chief of Staff and Assistant Vice President for Special Initiatives at Manhattan School of Music. In this role, she oversees special projects for the Office of the President and leads the Cultural Inclusion Initiative as part of MSM’s Strategic Plan. Under that initiative, she leads workshops and training for students, faculty, and staff on a variety of topics including equity and inclusion onstage and offstage, analyzing problematic repertoire in the classical canon, and changing the “colorblind” narrative. Prior to joining Manhattan School of Music Alexa was Director of Marketing at New York City Opera where she created events for the Pride Series (Brokeback Mountain and Iain Bell and Mark Campbell’s World Premiere of Stonewall) and Opéra en Español. She created partnerships with The LGBT Community Center, The Mexican Consulate, The Mexican Cultural Institute NY, The Stonewall at 50 Consortium, and Ucross Foundation. As a soprano, Alexa has sung with the Martina Arroyo’s Prelude to Performance, New York City Opera, and Dell’Arte Opera among others. She is a member of the SphinxLEAD Program, a 2-year professional empowerment program designed to evolve the landscape of arts leadership. This past summer, Alexa was a guest speaker and a teaching artist for Project 440, a non-profit preparing young musicians to use their musical gifts to transform lives and transform communities.
Miguel A. Rodríguez is the President and Founder of Athlone Artists, and Co-Founder of Insignia Athlone Artists Management EU/UK. Prior to this, Miguel has led some of New England’s most acclaimed cultural organizations, including as Executive Director of Boston Baroque, America’s oldest period-instrument orchestra. During his tenure he raised the company’s profile by elevating the artistic level of its guest soloists, developed new community outreach initiatives, launched Boston Baroque Radio, and refreshed the image of the organization through innovation, improved branding, and social media engagement. His prior experience includes senior executive positions with Opera Boston, Boston Landmarks Orchestra, Boston Musica Viva and Scullers Jazz Club. In 2007, he was one of a small number of leaders selected by the Massachusetts Cultural Council to participate in the first Executive Leadership Program for Non-Profit Cultural Organizations at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. In 2011, he was one of 20 to be selected nationally to join The 21st Century Fellows Program, a multi-year leadership development program for LGBT people of color. Trained as an opera singer, Miguel studied voice at the University of Michigan with soprano Martha Sheil and tenor George Shirley. He continued his graduate work in voice under renown soprano Phyllis Curtin at Boston University and went on to sing in many opera houses throughout Europe and the United States. Miguel has served as President of the Board of Directors of Early Music America and is an active member of the International Artist Managers’ Association (IAMA), Opera Managers Association International (OMAI), the North American Performing Artist Managers and Agents (NAPAMA), Opera America, the League of American Orchestras, and the Association of Performing Arts Professionals.
Zakiyyah Sutton is an artist, activist, and scholar, combining her work as a professional musician with her passion for creative justice. A classically-trained singer from Boston, Massachusetts, she is well-versed in opera, jazz, R&B, and gospel. She blends her classical training with her urban upbringing to create a sound which she calls “Hip-Hopera.” Zakiyyah studied voice at New England Conservatory, holds an undergraduate degree in political science and sociology from Wellesley College, and majored in vocal music at Boston Arts Academy. She has worked in communications for City Counselor Tito Jackson, and the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department, where she created Defensive Aids in Situations of Help (DASH)—a women’s self-defense program. She also serves as a trustee for the Free for All Concert Fund, an organization charged with providing the necessary funding to make classical music accessible. Zakiyyah is also passionate about mentoring youth. In addition to teaching private voice through Hamilton-Garrett Music and Boston Arts Academy, Zakiyyah launched Creative Revolution, a summer program that teaches teens about arts-activism. In 2016, Zakiyyah spent a year working with artists in communities around the world including in the Czech Republic, Thailand, South Africa, and Colombia. Zakiyyah’s debut album, African Import, reflects her global experiences and those musical influences. She is preparing to launch a Global Tour; and her passion for education, politics, and helping those in need will be a major focus. She will use her music as a catalyst for social justice and economic empowerment, as well as supporting the United Nations in meeting their Sustainable Development goals.