Fire Shut Up in My Bones

Last updated

Fire Shut Up in My Bones
Opera by Terence Blanchard
Librettist Kasi Lemmons
LanguageEnglish
Based on Charles M. Blow's memoir Fire Shut Up in My Bones
Premiere
June 15, 2019 (2019-06-15)
Opera Theatre of Saint Louis

Fire Shut Up in My Bones is an English-language opera in three acts, with music by Terence Blanchard and libretto by Kasi Lemmons.

Contents

The opera was first performed at the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis in 2019, and is based on the 2014 memoir of the same name by Charles M. Blow. It opened at the Metropolitan Opera in 2021, the first opera by a black composer ever performed there.

The narrative focus of the opera is on Charles, a young African-American man growing up in poverty. As he comes of age, he must decide how to deal with the sexual abuse he previously suffered at the hands of his cousin. At the climax, he decides not to take revenge. The opera includes flashbacks and the appearance of the protagonist's internal voices in the form of female spirits.

Background

Composer Terence Blanchard performing in Rotterdam in 2014 Terence Blanchard Lantaren Venster 16-5-2014 - Terence Blanchard (29700874535).jpg
Composer Terence Blanchard performing in Rotterdam in 2014

Blanchard described Fire Shut Up in My Bones as "opera in jazz". [1] It is the composer's second opera, following Champion in 2013. Aside from opera, Blanchard has won five Grammy Awards for his jazz records. [2] The title of the opera, which is also the title of Blow's memoir, [3] [4] is a biblical reference, specifically quoting Jeremiah 20:9. [5]

Whilst the opera's libretto and narrative reflect the content and themes of Blow's memoir, it is not a comprehensive retelling of the book. The essential elements are reflective of Blow's life. As noted by Patricia J. Williams in a review of the book: "He grows up amid mean if not absolute poverty; he is molested both by a cousin and by an uncle; his father is distant, an alcoholic; and his parents separate under circumstances that involve his mother waving a gun about on more than one occasion". [6]

Performance history

The opera made its world premiere on June 15, 2019, at the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis. [7] [8] The conductor of the premiere performance was William Long. Performers included Julia Bullock and Davóne Tines. [9]

The Metropolitan Opera's 2021–2022 season opened with Fire Shut Up in My Bones on September 27, 2021. It was the first opera by an African-American composer to be performed at the Metropolitan Opera since its founding in 1883. [10] [11] The conductor was Yannick Nézet-Séguin. The co-director and choreographer was Camille A. Brown. [12] Fire Shut Up in My Bones had not been intended as a season opener at the Metropolitan Opera, but general manager Peter Gelb stated that the Black Lives Matter movement had informed his decision to move the piece to such a prominent slot. [13] It was recorded as part of the Metropolitan Opera Live in HD film series [14] and the recording won a Grammy for Best Opera Recording in 2023. [15] [16] [17]

The Lyric Opera of Chicago presented the opera in March/April 2022. These performances were conducted by Daniela Candillari. [18]

Roles

Roles, voice types, and premiere cast
Role Voice type Premiere cast, June 15, 2019
Conductor: William Long [8]
Charles (adult) bass-baritone Davóne Tines
Char’es-Baby (Charles, as a boy) treble voice Jeremy Denis
Chester, Charles' cousin baritone Markel Reed
Destiny/Loneliness, apparition soprano Julia Bullock
Billie, Charles' mothersopranoKaren Slack
Spinner, Billie's husband tenor Chaz’men Williams-Ali
GretasopranoJulia Bullock

Synopsis

The story is based on the memoir of journalist Charles M. Blow (pictured) Hearst Lecture Charles Blow 007 (33695803268).jpg
The story is based on the memoir of journalist Charles M. Blow (pictured)

Act 1

Charles Blow, age 20, drives down a Louisiana backroad with a gun in the passenger seat. Destiny sings to him, calling him back to his childhood home. He begins reliving memories from his childhood.

Charles’ seven-year-old self, Char’es-Baby, talks to his mother, Billie. He is desperate for affection, but Billie is too frazzled to give him the validation that he craves. They are dirt poor. Billie works in a chicken factory, but she dreams of Char’es-Baby getting a good education and escaping their town. Her husband, Spinner, is a womanizing spendthrift. When she hears that he’s flirting with other women, she confronts him at gunpoint. She doesn’t shoot, but Billie tosses Spinner out. Billie and her five sons move in with Uncle Paul. Char’es-Baby dreams of a different life, collecting “treasure” from the junkyard while Loneliness sings to him. One day, his cousin Chester comes to visit. When Chester sexually abuses him, he is too horrified and ashamed to say anything.

Adult Charles begins to weep as he recoils from these memories, while Destiny reminds him that there is no escape.

Act 2

As Charles grows into a teenager, he is full of confusion and rage. He attends a church service where the pastor is baptizing people, promising that God can wipe all sins clean. Charles decides to get baptized, but phantom terrors still haunt him. Charles tries to talk to his brothers, but they refuse to engage in any “soft talk.” Loneliness reappears, promising to be his lifelong companion. Evelyn, a beautiful young girl, interrupts Charles’s reverie. Their chemistry is clear. Charles feels a new sense of independence and is finally ready to strike out on his own; Grambling State University has offered him a full scholarship. Billie is left alone to reflect on all that she has sacrificed for her family and wonders what might lie ahead.

Act 3

Charles is one of several fraternity pledges being hazed at his college. Charles stoically takes each indignity in stride: Pain is nothing new for him. Later, he goes to a nightclub and meets an attractive young woman, Greta. They begin a passionate love affair. Charles eventually shares his awful secret with Greta, only to find out that she’s still seeing someone else. Charles is left alone again. He calls home, desperate to hear his mother’s voice. To his shock, Billie tells him that Chester has come back to visit. Charles instantly decides to return home to confront Chester, gun in hand.

Charles sits in his car on the dark road, contemplating the choice lying before him. Destiny starts to sing to him once again, seductively promising to stand by him through to the bloody end. As Charles reaches his childhood home, Char’es-Baby appears, urging him to leave his bitterness behind. Charles must decide whether to exact his revenge or begin his life anew. [19]

Critical reception

Fire Shut Up in My Bones has received generally favorable reviews, with critics praising Blanchard's score and the "compassionate" storytelling. James Jorden called it "an opera with legs" and predicted many future revivals. He further stated that "At its current length of two and a half hours, Fire Shut Up in My Bones is in the running for best American opera of the 21st century. Trimmed of perhaps 20 minutes... I think it would be a clear winner." [20]

Composition

Regarding the composition, critics were divided on Blanchard's influences. Giovanni Russonello and Seth Colter Walls of the New York Times wrote that the music is generally based on Italian opera, but Blanchard's jazz influence is also audible. [21] Describing Blanchard's music, Chris Jones of the Chicago Tribune disagreed with other critics who emphasize Blanchard's jazz influence, saying 'Rather, under the baton of Daniela Candillari, you hear Blanchard’s driving confidence in operatic mode, both harmonic and dissident, both aware of European formative precedent and sharply critical in subtle ways." [22]

2019 Opera Theatre Saint Louis

Reviewing the premiere for the New York Times , Anthony Tommasini described the music variety of Blanchard's score: "Restless vocal lines shift from plaintive lyrical phrases, to sputtered outbursts, to a style that seems a jazz equivalent of Italianate arioso". Though noting that the opera tends to "melodramatic excess", Tommaisini praised the "brilliantly simple, evocative production", and singled out Julia Bullock and Davóne Tines in leading roles as "ravishing" and "terrifyingly volatile" respectively. [8]

2021 Metropolitan Opera

Angel Blue received praise for her role in the 2021 Met Opera production Angel Blue backstage at Wigmore Hall.jpg
Angel Blue received praise for her role in the 2021 Met Opera production

In reviews of the 2021 Metropolitan Opera production, critics praised the interpretation of the lead role as the adult Charles by baritone Will Liverman, who critics described as "subtle", "nuanced" and "powerful". There were, however, concerns that he was at times overwhelmed by the orchestra. [23]

In a review for Parterre Box Gabrielle Ferrari wrote "Blanchard's score is richly colored and beautifully orchestrated". With regard to the storytelling and characterization, she went on to say the score was written "mainly with a clear-eyed compassion for his characters, to whom he never condescends nor condemns". [24]

Writing for Vulture , critic Justin Davidson opined in an otherwise positive review that "in their enthusiasm, composer and conductor sometimes seem to have forgotten about the singers, who struggle to be heard over all the engaging churn". Davidson also stated that Fire Shut Up in My Bones was a conventional opera which did not "blow up the genre". [3]

Alex Ross of The New Yorker praised Angel Blue for her performance of three "inner voice" roles, describing her as "soaring above the orchestra". [7]

Walter Russell III, as the younger Charles, received acclaim from the audience and critics. He was 13 years old at the time of the production. [25]

2022 Lyric Opera of Chicago

Chris Jones of the Chicago Tribune praised Liverman, who retained the lead role of Charles, describing his performance as having an "aching vulnerability". In his review, Jones emphasized the "historical weight" of the opera, and called it "a voyage of considerable complexity". [22]

2023 Grammy Award

The audio recording of the stage production won a 2023 Grammy for Best Opera Recording [26] [27] with The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and The Metropolitan Opera Chorus, along with Nézet-Séguin, producer David Frost, baritone Will Liverman, sopranos Latonia Moore and Blue and treble Russell III, making him one of the youngest recipients of the awards at the time. [28]

Video recording

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philadelphia Orchestra</span> American symphony orchestra

The Philadelphia Orchestra is an American symphony orchestra, based in Philadelphia. One of the "Big Five" American orchestras, the orchestra is based at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, where it performs its subscription concerts, numbering over 130 annually, at Verizon Hall.

The Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra is a Dutch symphony orchestra based in Rotterdam. Its primary venue is the concert hall De Doelen. The RPhO is considered one of the Netherlands' two principal orchestras of international standing, second to the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam. In addition to symphony concerts, the RPhO performs as the opera orchestra in productions at De Nederlandse Opera, as do other Dutch ensembles.

David Frost is an American classical record producer and pianist. He has won 25 Grammy Awards for his work including seven wins for Producer of the Year, Classical. He is a music producer for the Metropolitan Opera and has recorded major orchestras including the New York Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and Los Angeles Philharmonic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Terence Blanchard</span> American trumpeter and composer

Terence Oliver Blanchard is an American trumpeter, pianist and composer. A jazz musician, he has also composed film scores and operas. He started his career in 1982 as a member of the Lionel Hampton Orchestra, then The Jazz Messengers. He has composed more than forty film scores and performed on more than fifty. A frequent collaborator with director Spike Lee, he has been nominated for two Academy Awards for composing the scores for Lee's films BlacKkKlansman (2018) and Da 5 Bloods (2020). He has won five Grammy Awards from fourteen nominations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter Gelb</span> American arts administrator (born 1953)

Peter Gelb is an American arts administrator. Since August 2006, he has been General Manager of the Metropolitan Opera in New York City.

The Victoria Symphony is a Canadian orchestra based in Victoria, British Columbia. It is considered Vancouver Island's largest and best-known performing arts organization. Currently conducted by Danish conductor Christian Kluxen, the orchestra consists of 34 full-contract, and 15 part-contract musicians. Typically, the orchestra delivers more than fifty main series programs per season, as well as a two-week-long summer series. A highlight of the year for many Victorians was the annual Symphony Splash fund-raising concert, held on the Sunday of the August long weekend. For more than 30 years, the orchestra performed on a barge in Victoria's Inner Harbour for an estimated audience of thirty thousand— including those attending in kayaks, canoes or dragonboats immediately in front of the barge. The orchestra administration consists of a staff led by Matthew White, CEO, a board of directors, and many volunteers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yannick Nézet-Séguin</span> Canadian conductor and pianist

Yannick Nézet-Séguin, CC is a Canadian conductor and pianist. He is currently music director of the Orchestre Métropolitain (Montréal), the Metropolitan Opera, and the Philadelphia Orchestra. He was the principal conductor of the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra from 2008 to 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Metropolitan Opera Live in HD</span> High-definition satellite video transmissions

Metropolitan Opera Live in HD is a series of live opera performances transmitted in high-definition video via satellite from the Metropolitan Opera in New York City to select venues, primarily movie theaters, in the United States and other parts of the world. The first transmission was of a condensed English-language version of Mozart's The Magic Flute on December 30, 2006. Many of the video recordings are later rebroadcast via public television as part of the Great Performances at the Met series, and most are made available for streaming at Met Opera on Demand, a collection which also includes earlier SD video telecasts and audio recordings from Metropolitan Opera radio broadcasts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charles M. Blow</span> American journalist

Charles McRay Blow is an American journalist, commentator and op-ed columnist for The New York Times and political analyst for MSNBC.

Barry Banks is a Grammy Nominated English/American lyric tenor who, after a long association with The Metropolitan Opera and English National Opera, has achieved acclaim as one of finest interpreters of the Italian bel canto repertoire.

Richard Bernstein is an American bass opera singer. A Metropolitan Opera company member since 1995, Bernstein has appeared in over 500 of its performances, including the Grammy award-winning Akhnaten in 2022. His repertoire includes the bel canto of Rossini, classic French opera, and 20th-century works, among others.

<i>Champion</i> (opera) 2013 opera by Terence Blanchard

Champion is an opera in two acts and ten scenes with music by Terence Blanchard and a libretto by Michael Cristofer. Based on the life of African-American welterweight boxer Emile Griffith, this opera is a joint co-commission by Opera Theatre of Saint Louis (OTSL) and Jazz St. Louis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Benjamin Bowman</span> Musical artist

Benjamin Walter Bowman is an American-Canadian violinist. The Metropolitan Opera and incoming Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin appointed Bowman as concertmaster as of the 2018-19 season, after a successful one-year term in 2017-18; he shares his role with David Chan. Bowman was Grammy-nominated in 2016 for his recording with the ARC Ensemble 'Chamber Works of Jerzy Fitelberg' on the Chandos label. He has performed to critical acclaim throughout North America, Europe and Asia. He is a member or frequent guest artist for leading chamber music ensembles internationally, including the twice Grammy-nominated ARC Ensemble, Art of Time Ensemble, and Leondari Ensemble. Bowman was featured on the 2013 Juno-winning album Levant and the 2011 Juno-nominated disc Armenian Chamber Music with the Amici Chamber Ensemble. Until 2019, he was the concertmaster of the American Ballet Theatre orchestra. He is an ensemble member of Orchestra of St. Luke's.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jakub Józef Orliński</span> Polish operatic countertenor singer (born 1990)

Jakub Józef Orliński is a Polish operatic countertenor singer and breakdancer. He has performed leading roles with many opera companies, including Metropolitan Opera, Royal Opera House, Warsaw Grand Theatre and Oper Frankfurt.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Erin Morley</span> American operatic soprano (born 1980)

Erin Morley is an American operatic soprano.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">64th Annual Grammy Awards</span> 2022 edition of award ceremony

The 64th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony was held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on April 3, 2022. It recognized the best recordings, compositions, and artists of the eligibility year, running from September 1, 2020, to September 30, 2021. The nominations were revealed via a virtual livestream on November 23, 2021. The performers for the ceremony were announced on March 15, 24, and 30, 2022. South African comedian Trevor Noah, who hosted the previous ceremony in 2021, returned as host. The ceremony's location marked the first time the Recording Academy switched host cities for a single ceremony. This also makes it the first Grammy Awards ceremony to not to be held in either New York City or Los Angeles since the 15th Grammy Awards in 1973 when it was held at the Tennessee Theatre in Nashville, Tennessee. It marked the first time the telecast took place in Las Vegas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">65th Annual Grammy Awards</span> 2023 edition of award ceremony

The 65th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony was held at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on February 5, 2023. It recognized the best recordings, compositions, and artists of the eligibility year – October 1, 2021 to September 30, 2022 – as determined by the members of National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. The nominations were announced on November 15, 2022. South African comedian Trevor Noah, who hosted the 63rd and 64th ceremonies, returned again.

Will Liverman is an American operatic baritone, described by NPR as 'a new, exciting voice in the opera world'. He has performed in several roles at the Metropolitan Opera.

<i>The Hours</i> (opera) 2022 opera by Kevin Puts

The Hours is a 2022 opera in two acts with music by Kevin Puts and an English-language libretto by Greg Pierce, based on Michael Cunningham's 1998 novel and its 2002 film adaptation, both with the same title.

<i>Maestro</i> (soundtrack) 2023 soundtrack album

Maestro (Original Soundtrack) is the soundtrack to the 2023 film Maestro that is centered around the life of composer Leonard Bernstein and his wife Felicia Montealegre. Directed by Bradley Cooper, and starring himself as Bernstein with Carey Mulligan as Montealegre, the film's soundtrack features Bernstein's works from musicals and operas as well as compositions from Gustav Mahler and Ludwig van Beethoven, amongst others. All of Bernstein's compositions were arranged and performed by the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin. The soundtrack was released by the Deutsche Grammophon label digitally on November 10, 2023 and in physical formats on December 1.

References

  1. ↑ Saccoccia, Susan (October 26, 2021). "Terence Blanchard's 'Fire Shut Up in My Bones' opera to air Wednesday, Oct. 27". www.baystatebanner.com. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  2. ↑ Smith, David (October 6, 2021). "'It was much bigger than me': Terence Blanchard on being the Met Opera's first Black composer". The Guardian . Retrieved October 21, 2021.
  3. 1 2 Davidson, Justin (September 28, 2021). "The Met Comes Alight Again With Shut Up in My Bones". vulture.com . Retrieved October 21, 2021.
  4. ↑ Rockwell, John (September 28, 2021). "Fire Shut Up in My Bones makes Met Opera history". Financial Times . Retrieved October 21, 2021.
  5. ↑ "Jeremiah 20:9 NRSV". www.biblegateway.com. Retrieved October 21, 2021.
  6. ↑ Williams, Patricia (October 3, 2014). "Putting Down the Gun". New York Times . Retrieved August 19, 2022.
  7. 1 2 Ross, Alex (October 18, 2021). "The Tense, Turbulent Sounds of Fire Shut Up in My Bones". The New Yorker . Retrieved October 21, 2021.
  8. 1 2 3 Tommasini, Anthony (June 16, 2019). "Review: The Wrenching Fire Shut Up in My Bones Becomes an Opera". The New York Times . Retrieved October 22, 2021.
  9. ↑ Lentjes, Rebecca (June 11, 2019). "Playbill: Speaking Out – A New Opera Premieres at Opera Theatre Saint Louis". St. Louis Symphony Orchestra . Retrieved October 22, 2021.
  10. ↑ Tommasini, Anthony (September 28, 2021). "Review: Fire Shut Up in My Bones brings a Black Composer to the Met, Finally". The New York Times . Retrieved October 21, 2021.
  11. ↑ Leparmentier, Arnaud (October 21, 2021). "La partition engagée de Terence Blanchard au Metropolitan Opera". Le Monde (in French). Retrieved October 21, 2021.
  12. ↑ Kourlas, Gia (October 18, 2021). "How Fire Shut Up in My Bones Brought a Step to the Met". The New York Times . Retrieved October 21, 2021.
  13. ↑ Chinen, Nate (September 28, 2021). "Terence Blanchard's Met Opera Debut Is a Singular Achievement and a Shared Success". NPR . Retrieved October 21, 2021.
  14. ↑ Lloyd, Gilly. "Met Opera screens Blanchard's 'Fire Shut Up in My Bones' 'Live in HD'". artspreview.net. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
  15. ↑ "Metropolitan Opera, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Renée Fleming & Joyce DiDonato Lead Classical Grammy Nominations". operawire.com. November 15, 2022. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
  16. ↑ "Artist:Yannick Nézet-Séguin". grammy.com. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
  17. ↑ "Montreal conductor wins best opera recording, best classical solo vocal album at Grammys". www.cbc.ca. February 6, 2023. Retrieved February 6, 2023.
  18. ↑ Production details, Lyric Opera of Chicago
  19. ↑ "Synopsis: Fire Shut Up in My Bones". metopera.org. Retrieved October 21, 2021.
  20. ↑ Jorden, James (September 28, 2021). "Premiere of Fire Shut Up in My Bones Sets the Reopened Met Ablaze". The New York Observer . Retrieved December 26, 2021.
  21. ↑ Russonello, Giovanni; Colter Walls, Seth (October 5, 2021). "Jazz and Opera Come Together in 'Fire Shut Up in My Bones'". The New York Times . Retrieved March 1, 2022.
  22. 1 2 Jones, Chris. "Review: 'Fire Shut Up in My Bones' at Lyric Opera is Terence Blanchard's groundbreaking work, full of joy and pain". Chicago Tribune . Retrieved August 18, 2022.
  23. ↑ Brodeur, Michael. "With debut of Fire Shut Up in My Bones at the Met, a watershed moment for American opera". The Washington Post . Retrieved January 1, 2022.
  24. ↑ Ferrari, Gabrielle. "Playing with 'Fire'". Parterre Box . Retrieved January 1, 2022.
  25. ↑ Blum, Ronald (September 28, 2021). "Metropolitan Opera returns, with its first-ever work by a Black composer". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  26. ↑ "The Metropolitan Opera wins 2023 Grammy Award for Best Opera Recording for Terence Blanchard's Fire Shut Up in My Bones". www.metopera.org. February 6, 2023. Retrieved February 6, 2023.
  27. ↑ "Metropolitan Opera & Renée Fleming Lead Grammy Winners". operawire.com. February 5, 2023. Retrieved February 6, 2023.
  28. ↑ "Grammys 2023: 13-Year-Old Walter Russell III Creates History by Becoming One of the Youngest Winners!". www.latestly.com. February 6, 2023. Retrieved February 6, 2023.
  29. ↑ Fire Shut Up in My Bones, October 23, 2021, Met Opera on Demand website; Met Opera Archive: Performance of Fire Shut Up in My Bones, October 23, 2021, CID:357485.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.