Episode 7

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Published on:

28th May 2021

Almost Doesn't Count (w/Dr. Adolphus Hailstork & Dr. Herbert Martin)

Welcome to lucky episode number 7 of MN Opera's The Score. Today, Paige, Lee and Rocky are joined by not one, but two, legendary guests! We are honored to speak with composer Dr. Adolphus Hailstork and librettist and poet Dr. Herbert Martin, two incredibly accomplished Black artists and titans of the classical music scene. We'll talk with them about their decades of experience in the industry, how they believe the industry can change to allow space for more Black artists in the future, and all about their new piece Pity These Ashes: Tulsa 1921-2021, which commemorates the 100th anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre. Also, this past Tuesday was the first anniversary of George Floyd's murder. We'll reflect on a death which shook the world and how it's still affecting us and our community one year later. (Spoiler alert: It's complicated and we get a little spicy.) And, as always, we'll send you off into Memorial Day Weekend with a PB&J, a moment of Pure Black Joy. This week, we'll talk a brand new honor for the late, great Chadwick Boseman and Rocky's obsession with this year's surprisingly Black Eurovision Song Contest.

Also, don't miss Pity These Ashes: Tulsa 1921-2021 on Saturday, June 19 at 7pm EDT, presented by The Greene Space in partnership with The Harlem Chamber Players, Harlem Stage and the Harlem School of the Arts and featuring mezzo-soprano J'Nai Bridges. Get your tickets below!

Hosts: Lee Bynum, Rocky Jones, Paige Reynolds

Guests: Dr. Adolphus Hailstork, Dr. Herbert Martin

Producer: Rocky Jones

Timestamps

The Murder of George Floyd: One Year On - 0:44:20

Conversation with Drs. Hailstork and Martin - 0:38:00

PB&J - 1:08:48

Links

Pity These Ashes: Tulsa, 1921 to 2021, Saturday, June 19 at 7pm EDT (Tickets)

Remembrance and Restitution: A Conversation on Juneteenth, the Tulsa Race Massacre, and Their Legacy in African American History, Thursday, June 10 at 12pm EDT (Watch)

"Emails show Minneapolis police chief coordinated with PR pros to fight council, protect budget" (Minnesota Reformer)

"Howard University Names College of Fine Arts After Chadwick Boseman" (CBR.com)

Watch Eurovision Song Contest (YouTube and Peacock)


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About the Podcast

The Score
News and commentary about opera, classical music, and pop culture seen through an antiracist and anti-oppressive lens
It's time to put opera on game! Hosts Lee Bynum, Paige Reynolds, and Rocky Jones are three Black and queer artists, pop culture aficionados, and arts administrators at Minnesota Opera, who are working every day to bring more diversity, equity, and inclusivity into opera and classical music. The Score is their provocative, thoughtful, and humorous commentary on the industry's past, present, and future, as seen through an anti-racist and anti-oppressive lens. Each episode features a variety of stories from a variety of perspectives that bring People of the Global Majority, queer, trans and nonbinary folks, and everyone else into the discussion of ownership over and access to the art form. From the opera house to the statehouse to your house, each episode will amplify the voices of those in the field who are pushing the boundaries of what opera is, who it is for, and how it can transform us and our communities. New episodes come out every other Wednesday!