Evento

OperaWorks 52 presents, Mother King a conceptual Black opera

Mother King, a conceptual Black opera, will be premiered at Public Functionary in Northeast Minneapolis. Six local vocalists, featuring Liz Lassiter in the title role, will bring the story of Black Birth, Black Resilience, and Black Joy to life along with an 12-member ensemble.

The opera interprets the story of Alberta Williams King, slain activist and mother of Martin Luther King, Jr. The libretto is based on a series of poems by Venessa Fuentes; award-winning composer Dameun Strange wrote the performance score. The two artists are behind OperaWorks 52, a music- and story-telling partnership that aims to highlight overlooked narratives: the stories of people of color and Native people; of women; of LGBTQ individuals. Mother King is their first project.

Liz Gre
Michael McDowell
Sarah Greer
Roland Hawkins
Ava MacFarlane
Kevin Moore

Mother King will run the last two weekends of July 2017: the 20th through the 22nd and the 27th through the 29th. Performances begin at 7 PM. Public Functionary is located at 1400 12th Avenue NE, Minneapolis.