That data that trying to use when as to feed the power in, in then it costs county, is there any forces of killed a palestinian man off the he opened fire within the legal settlement and the occupied westbank. Success rallies were injured. A mass says the attack was in response to settler incursions. So the alex, the mosque on 1st day 11 on a cease fire appears to be taking effect to the i know, how do i come . A delegation of the cost of the joint Action Committee has arrive to help calm the violence has been fight between rival im groups and i know i left for 4 days. At least 11 people have been killed, Dozens Injured and thousands of being driven from their homes. A high rise tower in moscow than houses. 3 russian ministries has been hit by a drone for the 2nd time in 3 days. The Defense Ministry that blames ukraine for the attack as it is no. The state of high on a is on high or low. Thats off to at least 5 people were killed in violence then the rest began when i couldnt do religious possession, passed through a muslim dominated area around 50 kilometers from new delhi to police. Person now are among the dead me. Im a hung sushi has been paused and in 5 of the 19 cases against the child, full melita will remain under house arrest for the other charges against that. But the sentence has been reduced now. So it has reconnected with this voyage of 2 space, probably above to 2 weeks of silence from interstellar space is 46. He is void your bloss at off to study the how to planets. Accidental operates era cause the signal loss, 19000000000, kilometers from theres the headlines theyve got a website. How does it dont come . The stream is coming up next. How black composes a shape . Think oprah. Where is the western agenda heading . Thats the g 7. Really even matter anymore. Whos more electable, joe biden, or donald trump or jeremy was in the media undermining our society. Can americans cross their Supreme Court is not corrupt. The quizzical look us pull it to the bottom line the on the, the to the music or flash shop in my bones with its compose a transplant child on trumpet and by raton will live. And then what you saw just that, that is musical history. Thats all for history, for the 1st time in a 138 is the metropolitan opera is producing production by an African American composite. This is why were all here on todays episode. Were looking at the contributions of African Americans of black people around the world to the form of opera. Lets move out gas highlights harris. Hello, calvin. Hello michaels. I get to have you here on the stream terrace. Introduce yourself, so i will, i will audience. Well, my name is Terrance Bryan said, im a jazz musician by trade from new orleans, louisiana. And now apparently, im an opera composer out at a so i was so happy about that. I know i read the introduce yourself. Hello, my name is karen slack. Im a soprano and i originally originated the role of billy in the original production of fire shop in my bones in st. Louis. So i did to add in highlight them out loud like a welcome to the street. Please introduce yourself to our audience around the welsh. Hi, im michael mohammed. I am a director and an educator based in san francisco, california. All right, auto stilted. First thoughts about flash shut up in my thoughts. What does it mean to you, michael chiron, habits. Michael, you saw i think the importance of it is representation representation audits. Deepest level of what happens when we actually get to see the black stories, black bodies on stage, and in one of the largest platforms possible for opera. And how does that welcome in a new set of people . How does that actually make space at the table for new stories and for stories that are contemporary and stories. That means something to the, to the bodies that are in the seats and whos getting to experience what that story town. I knew that fire was an incredible piece of history. When i read the libretto for the 1st time, i went and 2 and i already knew parents as music by singing the opera champion, which was the parents. This 1st opera. And i knew it was that he the special answers to see such a prolific story told by such an incredible musician, it welcomes what opera, what we say be more often to be in the 21st century to have the full culture as we say, for the culture on the stage of a place that is so white, ive been on that stage. You know, ive been in the company, but to have it on the largest opera rad it platform in the world to have our story. So kinda speak by parents and casey and charles is incredible for our i dont think that they even understand how great its the moment parents, somebody else a lot. I think for me, you know what this means is we get a chance to see our culture. You know, um i met karen and because of karen and i had this conversation with the cast here. We talked about it a while ago. I cant remember this when we were in my home and it was when we were doing a champion. We talked about how so many African American oper sing is go up in a charge of grubs thing and rhythm and blues and some of the even groups thing and jazz. But when they enter into the operative grove, theyre told to throw all of that and put it aside. And what i wanted people to do in this production is to bring all of that back to this format, you know, and allowed them give them space to, to experience and express themselves. You know, andrew, blue, she took it very seriously what everybody has, but angel was the 1st to approach me. And she said, you know, do you mind if i take some liberties and im like please, and angels, one of your safety is one of the characters in, in, in this production. If i shut off in my bags, right . Yes, hes one of the principal. She plays 3 cards and she plays loneliness, bethany, and granite de charles date. But shes things does our peculiar grace, which is about charles and youre going to sheer her bringing in her background as uh, spiritually based, performer. You know, you have here and, and then she marries that with her training as an opera, singer. And for me and create something very unique but distinctly wrong. You know, and the other thing about it too, is that because we have an all black task, which was something we didnt set out to do with just wind up happening to be that way, is that the world gets a chance to see this level of talent that its existed in our community because, you know, i did one interview and a journalist asked me, he said man, do you think job is going to inspire people sing up or in a black community . Im like, dude, theyve been him. All right. All right, 6 terrence and karen and michael, i am gonna share you with that international audience. If you want to right now, you on youtube, jump into the comment section. Our conversation today is black altis flickering. The libretto see what i did there in opera. Comment section is key. Please join our discussion to see a sort of going in to this point for as that happened before, were really compelled by one demographic which doors and stories to me. We also have sort of stories that are managing trash, funny, sad way for me to the concert stage, to this beautiful media for the production of ours says our stories should be newer and more because we have to say really, i have to ask you a picture and i have to ask you when you are playing really, which is the mom . If i show up in my boat and did that, did it feel different from other productions that you were in . You, you wont experience the product you if what the logos did it feel different . Absolutely. First of all, parents knew my voice very well, because i had some of his 1st opera. So he crafted the piece for my instrument, particularly. But i didnt have to get into the skin. I was playing my aunts. I mean my, my mom, my, my cousins went in that i saw in my church in the, you know, it. If theres something about getting into the task of trying to, to turn yourself into and, you know, the 18th century italians of operators, the panel. You know, what i mean, thats the one thing for people to seeing. Something like billy to, to, with her. And i were, i know who i represented on that stage. It was important for women who looked like me to this to see themselves when i walked out the, even before i opened my mouth, that comment michael came from the, from shown e. A can photo. Hes a composer conductor, and he talked about that being relate to full stories. Is this a time now where operate is realizing that you have to encompass the diversity of the community . You caught just be your centurylink . I think from last summer, with the reckoning, as i keep calling it from the reckoning of last summer as realizing that our institutions have to reflect the the, the bodies. But people who, who, who are around it, i think of. And i think because as, as oper is an institution that is old and its, its slow to change. So i think that we as the current living people trying to live and work and create and this media. And i think that were seeing that more and more its gotta open up and weve got to be hospitable to people who want to explore this as, as a story telling media. And because i think i, as you said in the video that that is what its theater story telling its a narrative. But one of the things i want to add to what michael is talking about is do you know whats the definition of insanity doing the same thing . Im expecting a different result, right . So thats what the article has been doing when its trying to sell this art form. And people have gotten to the point, you know, where we start to realize, no, that has to change. And i think with george floyd was, was murdered on on television. Id video was sent around the world. It opened up a lot of peoples ad as to what we would have been complaining about in this country for generations. And people have sought to make a difference and it gives you to give them all the credit for, for saying that we need to not only do stories that are related to our generation, but we need to do. Ready like this to let people know that there are other voices out there that needs to be heard. And heres the thing thats most important. Its the universal story. Its not a start is just unique to the African American community, but its a story thats told through our lands. And by and being told through our lands, you know, there. So many people can come and relate one journalist or this is the most diverse audience. You seen at the man and heres 20 some years of covering the man. So i want to tell people, hey, i dont know the sofa shut off in my bones. It is based on the memo of charles blo, who is a really well known New York Times cone this and why . So it is an extraordinary story. But its also a story about an African American 9 and your hearing how one of my co ad tablets, talking about stories being relates people and stories from our community. What would that look like, for instance, in rehab . So a practice session. I know these videos, this is a movement excise with flies shut up in white, but its have a look i challenging not the adults the mileage. And so many people around the world are now going to go see. All right, thats what our present value. Im going to bring in another voice buttons. Always say this is julianna. His story is who, who reading gets to the match of why it has been challenging for African Americans. The people of color to be involved in opera. Patients i think is the same with black composes contributions to a brush is not necessarily that they are treated spencer was, but they always treated as somehow different. This is no just opera, but black, oprah, or indigenous oprah or for cobra, or any of the other names that are used to describe the score provisions. So was as well waste comes with a qualifier which implies that if somehow fools offsite to know or with that its not normal. Because of this, i didnt think it is treated on an equal footing no time you are looking salt for your thoughts 1st and then michaels to me yeah, county stopped. Well, i also think it is a lack of education with the administrators and a lack of courage with those who gets and make decisions. You know, people, we hear a lot about gate keeping because of the time that we were in with the racial, racial reckoning. But it is the administrators, the general directors, the intern dots who get to dictate what culture is for the community to come to the, the come to the opera. And we can change that. This is not 1935. Its 2021. And i think every Art Organization has a responsibility to their community to show them the brightness of whats available. Yeah, and i also think it even begins even beyond that with them. The pipeline in and who its, its, its a reaching forward and are reaching back and were reaching forward. Were moving things forward, but were also reaching back to bring people along with us. And i think thats a, a part of the gate keeping. And how do we break open the gates . How do we disrupt any of the systems that have that have kept what the ideas are normal and not normal . And who gets to be part of the conversation . And who doesnt . I think the more we can disrupt and break those doors open and bring people along. And thats the part and the, the anti sort a colonial mindset of opera. And that were really trying to bring to, to widen the conversation, democratize the space so that most more people get a chance to, to be in the space. And to talk about the how the story is beautiful. I have questions for you from you to im going to find them as you come back with instant office so we can get in as many as possible at a time. So im going to get this one thing. This is the only thing he wanted to know about. The met opera and closing doors. It start donovan here its racist history. Making a black or per is big, but its a hell of size. But it took this long to do this. A 138. Yes, thats me. Adding that on the residence, donovan directs instant out. Well, well heres the thing you know about this, you know, wow, im very proud of my heritage. Im very proud of everybody gets in this production weve made up or, you know, were not trying to be separate just, you know, i and i think thats really important. Karen is my sister and we know weve had a lot of conversations and one of the things that we never talked about is for being a black surprise. We talked about how being and amazing soprano. It just so happens that shes African American, just so happens at this story is told through the lens of the African American community. But you know, there are other communities that agent can be there, but all peoples of walk different walks of life. We have stores in town and i think thats where i think we stopped falls short. You know, one guy asked me did it, did i think that why people hold on a com and listen to this offer . And i told him, i said your question implies that we shouldnt go to the opera bench done by verity opportunity. You know, i think, you know, at the end of the day we are trying to be the most accomplished artist that we can be. Were trying to bring all of our communities background, our upbringing, our experiences, to the stage. And if were really trying to be artist dot business, people are politicians. If were trying to be an artist, then everybody should be welcome. Everybody should have a forum to tell stores. Im going to get back to the chief in a moment because theres some really good questions on the issue for you guys, but fast. We take a pause to bring in the gorgeous voice of tyran slack. Hes thinking he administered so outputs, but options dads my book and based on the book of the same name, his miss the. 2 the a good time and one is different. Okay. Want me to go. You can you, can you because ive been watching your conversations and you all have a have a look here on my laptop carrying those excuse me. Ive been doing june, looked down during the time that shes, she has been bringing the output community together. He is. She is, this is my favorite one with soprano angela brown. And there was a moment where angela told a story, and he will really go because he had told a story about how she didnt get a role because the dress wasnt big the right size. But then she went to see the production and the woman playing the pox. One, the part was exactly the same size of angela brown. So theres this sense of unfairness in new york for a while or what point does the fact that this impact your ability to play and sing a fictional tied to often times oh my goodness. Yeah, thats yeah, thats the questionnaire for you. Yeah, exactly. That was the conversation before black before color. Yeah. About size, you know that deborah void is one of the most. Um, your madison chronos, the word time. And she had had this gigantic career because she put into the address a couple of bar that they wanted to have a smaller woman. She was hired. And so the know the comments and im the or that we dont get rules unless i guess they, they are the, the lansing price rules. Ideally, if you were not just send you the bad, beautiful she as if, you know, black people cant see german music or french music, you know, i mean, it doesnt matter in this, in it, but again, it goes back to the people who get to decide who gets to have a career who does what roles, what offers get shown produce. We have to change the people who make this decision. We have to make that more inclusive. You know, because again, we want people to come to the theater to see themselves in every, every oper, every role we present, you know, not just been, people make love, not just thing people fall in love, not just white people. You know, have happily ever after work, you know, for using a day or whatever that is, you know, an offer. But, you know, just talk me with that being walking on the theater for on, on youtube. Well, well, with this is a really nice increasing questions. Michael, im going to get this one to you. What do you do . You know, if you want to be much more diverse, but the funding comes from white donors who thats the rich questionnaire. Really . Yeah, its totally, i mean its priced in because of, you know, and then funding in the United States as so not tied to the government, its not if its, its untethered to any sort of real system of support. So it does rely on donors. So theres always this, this balancing act between what do you expect the donors to want to support and what do you expect audiences, because audiences is reliant, you know, companies relying on ticket sales. So its a, its a delicate dance that companies have to do. So yeah, id rather, im sorry, im sorry, go ahead. Well, no, i think i think theres a, theres misconception about that too. You know, its just like anything else cuz what i was very, very proud of with the production of fire, shut up in my bones. But was that down . Walker is an African American mazda ford foundation, was a big supporter of this production. Sheila johnson whos also African American and loves classical music, was also a big supporter of this production. So we made history in that regard as well. And i think, you know, we, we have people in our community who have money, you know, who have been raising dollars and they need to understand that they can have a say so. And what go. Ready on the stage at these performance theaters, you know, and i think theyre walker and Sheila Johnson have set a precedent by doing so. At the minute ive kind of, i want to pick up on a point that you made earlier about the university ality of opera and, and stories that they can be for people around the world. So for this last comment, im going to take town to adult per student who is a soprano, and she talks about university ality of, of its not just a white people, isnt ok, so this is a repeating of phone bags. The stories that have been told in result has been quite universal, which is why we find different. Ive got patients Office Stories done all over the world relating to the contract experiences of those areas. For instance, there was lots of production of the am that was done here. And in this production many of and died because of i checked, the nice thing just to see the and you do also get other um, oprah companies who go even further to even also the old construction ways not, you know, model or just drive issue gets in the d o the houses. Mm hm. So parents, uh, ill just look for a pit to him on my laptop and i, i love this picture so much. Im just going to do this down here. Never saw this have a. 7 the own, i know me so much when i was a kid, i used to go to the little upper house and comfort gauze and in london, i used to place the black person if there was another black mass. And i would like to know, can we talk about your glasses on . I would be looking out of the and i know what all 3 of you doing in the community about performance. I think because i think that gave us what you have a black person is going to be less rewarding. Now that theyre going to be so many that it will no longer be a gay time its closing thoughts. Go ahead. Well, i think its a shame when i listen to the young lady taught to think that in order to have a black task, we need to do a retake on 2 g and i love to change. I loved level one is one of my favorite offers, but im so proud of the fact that were doing stuff back and ready to peoples lives today. And hopefully that will open the door for that young lady. And now the people just like her to tell their stories, the way they see fit, because i know with what the level of success weve had with fire shut up and my bones at matt isnt. Its a, its been a reckoning for people to understand that they are people who will come to opera if they will see themselves almost like it is. Is this a perfect segue into the closing video . Im going to show you is the famous step dots from fire shot up in my bones. Michael, karen parents, thank you so much. I will leave you with 5 shot my buttons. The step dont spend so watching everybody. The of the im told stories from asia, african narratives from african perspectives. Whatever has been done before, can be done even better as long as a human being is doing it. You can shoot document reese from african filmmakers from mozambie and can hear from me up on the ice okey team in east and central giant middle choppers and came yeah, i like africa direct on. Ill just 0, every thing do is being and its being, its being measured by intelligence agencies. Are they a task to do things in secret that are unlawful or politically embarrassing . All of the colleagues that i knew show was to retire from the n s a. We could not stand by and see all the work that they had done being used for mass or balance. Digital dissidents on out is there the on the box and the top story is allowed to 0, french and other european citizens have started to leave these. Yeah, following the to that last week, the french government plans, if i q ration flights for hundreds of possible holders over the next 24 hours, the post government india told down to 0, it would support Ministry Intervention by echo as to reinstate the president. In the protocol of the echo us day is that a positive