- You know, I think there are very few places
and spaces for Black artists to work,
particularly young Black artists.
I think once upon a time there were spaces of development
for Black artistry, for Black writers,
and that space has slowly dwindled and disappeared.
So when it was offered to me to come join this project,
I had to say yes, because a dynamic space
for young Black writers is so important
and so to be a part of that,
to help cultivate these ideas was just so dope.
(gentle music)
- I began to think about the media and how
often when Black people are killed in this country
by law enforcement, it becomes a spectacle.
The media, they flock to these locations
and for ratings and for all sorts of reasons,
they might be benevolent, but it seems to be something
that is for entertainment sometimes.
So Jasmine and I were inspired to place our opera
in sort of a vaudeville setting.
- "The Burning Bush" is about Freddie Gray,
tragedy that happened in Baltimore.
The main thing that Joshua and I wanted to convey,
we didn't wanna relive the tragedy.
We didn't want the work itself to actually be living in
the tragedy of Freddie Gray's death.
We mainly just did not want the artist
to actually have to relive
that kind of traumatic experience.
The art itself is not literal.
It's very imaginative and figurative.
There's so many messages in it.
The white savior mentality is in there.
The idea of saving Black people in some way.
The idea of invisibility is there.
- Jasmine and I were both in Baltimore
the night of the uprisings in Baltimore, the initial night.
So reliving that was a little difficult,
but I think once we got through that,
I was able to have a breakthrough
and sort of think about the experience
in a more surrealist way
and instead of just regurgitating what happened.
- I hope that more projects can be done in the future
with Black artists that isn't rooted in tragedy,
that maybe is rooted in just personal interest,
creating spaces for Black artists that don't make us
have to relive traumas to create it.
- The hardest challenge with this process for us
is finding a way for it to be removed from the trauma,
but also I'm respectful, understanding that his family
might see it one day, which was very important to us.
- Well the man who is playing Freddie is seen as invisible
and it is a juxtaposition on how Black bodies
are often not seen or not listened to.
- When I think about the classical forms,
when I think about theater, opera, ballet,
these are spaces that we as Black people
have always been in, but disenfranchised from,
and our participation has always been on the periphery,
on the outside
and so it's really exciting to be in a moment in time
where disruptions like this are actually happening
because it is going to transform the form itself.
The space for writing is so important,
but also the space to see your work up on its feet
is a next generative step
and I think when I think about "The Burning Bush" piece,
this is a piece that actually needs to be staged
for the writers to learn about it.
We've been having a lot of fun actually,
learning about the piece on its feet.
There are so many elements of history
that are wrapped into it,
that I think getting it on its feet,
that seeing it live is a real benefit.
- It's important for a Black artist today
to make commentary about, well, yes we are coming a long way
and we've made great strides in terms of like diversity
and classical music and all of that.
There's still such a long way to go.
- It's been really dope to be in a space with writers
who are Black and young and pushing forward in a space
that often isn't as diverse
and so being able to see their ideas lived out through music
and on the page, I think is so important to the development
of the form.
So, being in the room with them, hearing their ideas
has just really been exciting and dynamic.
(dramatic piano music)
♪ Ladies and gentlemen ♪
♪ Welcome back ♪
♪ Don't be shy, go on and clap ♪
♪ Let's hear it for our firefighters too ♪
♪ The theater was saved ♪
♪ And now upon this stage ♪
♪ We present this show to you ♪
♪ Up first ♪
♪ Baltimore's very own ♪
♪ My what a gift ♪
♪ Remain calm ♪
♪ For your safety ♪
♪ I insist ♪
♪ Behold ♪
♪ The Invisible Man ♪
♪ Yes, yes, he draws close ♪
♪ It is true ♪
♪ Yes, yes. ♪
♪ Between me and you ♪
♪ Listen ♪
♪ A voice on the wind ♪
♪ Sing ♪
♪ Invisible Man ♪
♪ Let the folly begin ♪
(laughing and clapping)
(upbeat piano music)
♪ Brown, brown boy. Brown. ♪
♪ From the ashen side of town ♪
♪ Don't be afraid when I come your way ♪
♪ Receive this serenade ♪
♪ Ah ♪
(dramatic piano music)
♪ Can my serenade ♪
♪ Reveal I am a man ♪
♪ Like you? ♪
♪ Alive. ♪
♪ Real. ♪
♪ I too breathe the sighs of God's grace ♪
♪ I too. ♪
♪ Brown ♪
♪ No you won't see me frown ♪
♪ I'm as glad as a clown! ♪
♪ We find joy anyway! ♪
♪ Always happy and gay! ♪
♪ You want nothing I bring ♪
♪ Until I sing ♪
♪ So ♪
♪ On with the show ♪
♪ He sings in a tongue unknown ♪
♪ Isn't it hypnotic? ♪
♪ So soulful. Exotic. ♪
♪ What's that now? ♪
♪ This is no mirage. No phonograph prank. ♪
♪ An unseen man stands before you ♪
♪ Take a picture ♪
♪ It will emerge blank ♪
(gentle piano music)
♪ Who is he? ♪
♪ What myst'ry ♪
♪ A spectacle to heed ♪
♪ Sing again Invisible Man! ♪
♪ Do not make us plead ♪
♪ I will sing ♪
♪ Hear me ♪
♪ All who are wise ♪
♪ I am a prophet of tomorrow ♪
♪ A ghost of today ♪
♪ In years to come ♪
♪ They'll call me Freddie Gray ♪
♪ Murdered by the cruel in blue ♪
♪ Murdered by the cruel like you ♪
♪ Tomorrow's my dwelling ♪
♪ And I can proclaim ♪
♪ Your present and my present ♪
♪ Are the same ♪
♪ Repent! Repent! ♪
♪ I urge you to evolve ♪
♪ The world will keep on turning ♪
♪ Like the clock upon the wall ♪
♪ The hour's late ♪
♪ Extinguish your hate ♪
♪ Soon you may find ♪
♪ The future of the human race ♪
♪ Has all been swept behind ♪
♪ Tomorrow dissolves ♪
♪ Seek atonement and evolve ♪
♪ Repent! ♪
(dramatic piano music)
♪ What a word inferred ♪
♪ Let's all stand ♪
♪ Bravo! ♪
♪ Encore from the Invisible Man ♪
♪ Bravo! ♪
(gentle piano music)
♪ Baltimore will flame again ♪
♪ But not for me alone ♪
♪ Again for my blood ♪
♪ So your blood too ♪
♪ Beware this flame kindling in you ♪
♪ His mercies are ceasing ♪
♪ No evil rests unseen ♪
♪ So remember me ♪
♪ A burning bush today ♪
♪ Revere the coming ♪
♪ The setting of Freddie Gray ♪
(dramatic piano music)
(upbeat piano music)
(gentle piano music)