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Grammy-winning composer Terence Blanchard’s adaptation: “Fire Shut Up In My Bones” on GREAT PERFORMANCES AT THE MET, April 1 at 9 pm


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Great Performances at the Met: Fire Shut Up in My Bones

Premieres Friday, April 1 at 9 p.m. on PBS

 

Grammy-winning jazz musician and composer Terence Blanchard’s adaptation of Charles M. Blow’s memoir marks the Met’s first performance of an opera by a Black composer and first production in its theater following the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown. Featuring a libretto by filmmaker Kasi Lemmons, the opera tells the story of a young man’s journey to overcome a life of trauma and hardship. James Robinson and Camille A. Brown co-direct this new staging, with Brown also choreographing, becoming the first Black director to create a mainstage Met production. Baritone Will Liverman stars as Charles alongside soprano Angel Blue as Destiny/Loneliness/Greta, soprano Latonia Moore as Billie, and Walter Russell III as Char’es-Baby. Six-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald hosts Great Performances at the Met: Fire Shut Up in My Bones, premiering Friday, April 1 at 9 p.m. ET on PBS as part of #PBSForTheArts. The broadcast is part of season 16 of Great Performances at the Met that makes its return with 10 new operas premiering monthly February-November 2022 on PBS.

couple sitting on bed, man singing to woman
Will Liverman and Angel Blue

Cast:

  • Yannick Nézet-Séguin – Conductor
  • Angel Blue – Destiny/Loneliness/Greta
  • Latonia Moore – Billie
  • Will Liverman – Charles
  • Walter Russell III – Char’es-Baby
  • Audra McDonald – Host

 

Creative:

  • Terence Blanchard – Composer
  • James Robinson – Co-Director
  • Camille A. Brown – Co-Director, Choreographer
  • Paul Tazewell – Costume Designer
  • Greg Emetaz – Projection Designer
  • Allen Moyer – Set Designer
  • Christopher Akerlind – Lighting Designer

 

dancers on stage performing play
Will Liverman and dancers

Great Performances at the Met is produced by the Metropolitan Opera in association with PBS and The WNET Group, bringing the best of the Metropolitan Opera into the homes of opera fans across the country. Fire Shut Up in My Bones is directed for the screen by Gary Halvorson. For the Met: Mia Bongiovanni and Elena Park are Supervising Producers and Louisa Briccetti and Victoria Warivonchik are Producers. Peter Gelb is Executive Producer. For Great Performances: Bill O’Donnell is Series Producer; David Horn is Executive Producer

Websites: http://pbs.org/gperf, http://facebook.com/GreatPerformances, @GPerfPBS, http://youtube.com/greatperformancespbs, giphy.com/great–performances #GreatPerformancesPBS #PBSForTheArts