‘Art • Poetry • Music’ celebrates African-American arts

In the next installment of Opera Carolina’s series called “Art • Poetry • Music,” the company collaborates with Quentin Talley’s On Q and David Tang’s Firebird Arts Alliance to stage a multimedia “concert” Feb. 18 honoring African-American artists and arts.

Expect to hear everything from a spoken-word/vocalist version of Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On” with jazz musicians to “Un aura amorosa” from “Cosi fan tutte” from Opera Carolina. Talley, who is directing the program, says it will “explore the black experience and journey from spirituals to classical to R&B to poetry to hip hop and back to jazz.” Visual artwork will be projected above the stage, too.

Last year, the opera offered “Arte • Poesía • Música,” aimed at honoring Latin-American art and artists, and had previously done an event focused on Asian culture, each aimed at building community as well as bringing opera to a broader audience, says the opera’s James Meena.

Also on the program: Nina Simone’s “Black is the Color of My True Love’s Hair,” performed by Lovell Bradford on piano and vocalist Dawn Anthony, and John Coltrane’s “A Love Supreme,” performed by Ocie Davis on drums; Tim Singh on bass; Bradford on piano; Eleazar Shafer on trumpet; and Phillip Whack on sax.

Tickets are $15 at the door (free for kids 16 and younger) or at carolinatix.org, and the event will be held in the chapel at Sharon Presbyterian Church, 5201 Sharon Road.

This story was originally published February 9, 2016 at 6:58 PM with the headline "‘Art • Poetry • Music’ celebrates African-American arts."