“Fire Shut Up in My Bones” is a new opera coming to the Metropolitan Opera and it’s the first work of art the Met has ever staged by a Black composer in its 136 year history. The composer is an award-winning jazz trumpeter by the name of Terence Blanchard and the brother is amazing.
Peter Gelb, the Met’s general manager made the announcement saying that Blanchard was “a brilliant composer” and we couldn’t agree more. He has scored numerous films for Spike Lee and recently snagged his first Oscar nomination for his work on Lee’s BlacKkKlansman. He also composed the music for the highly anticipated film, ‘Harriet.’”
“Fire Shut Up in My Bones” first premiered at the Opera Theater in St. Louis in June. It is a production based on a memoir by New York Times Opinion columnist Charles Blow, with a libretto by writer and director Kasi Lemmons. Lemmons wrote and directed ‘Eve’s Bayou’ and recently co-wrote and directed ‘Harriet.” In other words, this production is inundated with Black excellence!
When asked how he felt about his latest accomplishment, Blanchard told the New York Times he just wished his father was alive to see it. The Met still has some logistics to work out, deciding whether the work will be presented at the Lincoln Center or in collaboration with other presenters such as the Brooklyn Academy of Music or the Public Theater. But Gelb said the show could come to New York as early as its 2021-2022 season.
We’ll be the first in line to get our tickets!