As part of their mission to inject diversity and inclusion into opera while making the often-stuffy genre accessible to audiences of all ages, On Site Opera will host a special free concert performance on Wednesday, June 19 at West Side Community Garden. Curated by Grammy-winning singer Kenneth Overton in honor of Juneteenth, the concert will feature excerpts from operatic works by Black composers and librettists, spotlighting their significant contributions to the genre, with compositions by Scott Joplin and William Grant Still, along with librettist Langston Hughes.
“With the garden at peak bloom, we are excited to invite the community back to enjoy these evenings of opera for all ages and welcome summer in New York City,” says Piper Gunnarson, On Site Opera’s General Director and CEO. “This season’s lineup reflects our commitment to diverse storytelling and engaging audiences of all ages and backgrounds,” she adds.