Lossless is available in FLAC and ALAC (For Mac). You select on the download page.
When you purchase a lossless format, we include the MP3 free of charge
Please note: On Mp3 format an unavoidable click may be heard on segue track breaks, to avoid this issue please select lossless
This item is temporarily unavailable.
Why not buy the whole Album?
Your selections total more than the whole disc price.
Notes
Washington National Opera presents Blue, a contemporary opera on racial injustice in the US today, with a libretto by Tazewell Thompson set to music by Jeanine Tesori. Blue tells the tragic story of an African-American police officer whose son is killed by a fellow officer during a protest. Strongly resonating with the Black Lives Matter movement, the piece is equally groundbreaking thanks to its intimate and layered portrayal of African-American family life on the operatic stage. Historically and musically, Blue compassionately tells a story that is at once painful and identifiable to so many of us. The Music Critics Association of America named Blue the “Best New Opera” of 2020, while the Financial Times praised it as “an exceptionally strong new opera about race in America”, and hailed Tesori’s music as “eclectic, but assuredly so, full of beauty and eloquence.” The piece is sung by an excellent cast of vocalists, including Kenneth Kellogg as The Father, Briana Hunter as The Mother, and Aaron Crouch as The Son, while The Washington National Opera Orchestra is led by rising star conductor Roderick Cox. Jeanine Tesori is one of the most important American composers of today, with a diverse catalog for musical theatre, opera, film, and television. Tazewell Thompson is an internationally acclaimed director, playwright, teacher, and actor. Washington National Opera is among the leading US opera houses, and has the mission to present stories that reflect the America of today.
Please login to post a review
Reviews
Performance **** Recording *****
“…Shaped as a series of dialogues, Tazewell Thompson’s libretto is eviscerating in its fury and grief, and the agonising conflicts experienced by people torn apart by racist violence. Yet it’s equally, painfully full of tenderness, love and humour. The contrasts are beautifully matched in Jeanine Tesori’s score, which moves from lush warmth to splintered dissonance is a heartbeat, straddling art and vernacular styles with subtlety and verve. The cast’s performances are both moving and cogent in their refusal to accept the toxicity thrust upon them…”
Steph Power – BBC Music magazine – June 2022
“… Jeanine Tesori, known as a composer of Broadway musicals, has composed a very varied music, which can certainly be seen in the succession of Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess, with quite a few jazz, gospel and hip-hop touches. It allows the singers expressive, emphatic singing, and the orchestra colorful, sometimes virtuosic accompaniment. Bass Kenneth Kellogg sings the father with a solid voice, while Briana Hunter is fully convincing as the mother in both characterization and voice. The young tenor Aaron Crouch also embodies the rebellious son very convincingly. His powerful tenor voice has a baritone depth at times. Many fine performances can be discerned in the rest of the cast as well. The bottom line: ‘Blue’ is a musically pleasing opera that can stand its own in a sound-only recording. Even without the stage action, it becomes very effective…” *****
Remy Franck – Pizzicato.lu – 29 March 2022
Media Downloads
Whenever possible we provide a high resolution CD cover image and a PDF version of the CD booklet for you to download and keep