Midwest Premiere & New Production
Blue
By
Jeanine Tesori & Tazewell Thompson
An African American couple in Harlem
anticipates the birth of their firstborn, a son, with both hope and
fear. As the baby grows into a young man, the mother worries for his
future, and the father tries to prepare his son for the realities of
21st century America, while wrestling with his own identity as a police
officer, a "Black man in blue." When their deepest fears come true, the
family is forced to navigate a devastating reality seeking answers and
support from their church and community.
Lyric Opera presents the Chicago premiere of Tony
Award®–winning composer Jeanine Tesori and NAACP Theatre Award–winning
librettist Tazewell Thompson’s new opera inspired by contemporary events
and Black literature, including Ta-Nehisi Coates’s Between the World and Me and James Baldwin’s The Fire Next Time.
Gospel-influenced music and vivid flashbacks capture the grief of a
family and community navigating the turbulent waters of loss at the
hands of police. Exploring race, violence, and reconciliation, Blue places timely issues at the forefront of modern opera and invites audiences to the emotional epicenter of their impact.
“The times are fraught. Lit by lightning and divisiveness.
Love, family, friends and the church are there when we need them. And we
need them now. We need a song to soothe our sorrows as we confront
painful, personal truths. We need music in our lives and our children
near to help us repair heartache; music to ultimately lift us and
celebrate the bonds of sisterhood and brotherhood togetherness.” –
Tazewell Thompson, librettist and director.
Language - Sung in English with projected English text
Location - At the Yard at Chicago Shakespeare